Innate immune defences in respiratory virus-host interactions and their implications for therapy

Background:

Respiratory viruses, including influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), coronaviruses, and other emerging zoonotic pathogens, remain major global health threats, causing significant morbidity and mortality each year. The innate immune system serves as the first line of defence against these pathogens, employing epithelial barriers, pattern recognition receptors, interferon responses, and various antiviral effector mechanisms such as autophagy and intrinsic restriction factors. Despite its critical role, the innate immune system is a frequent target of viral countermeasures, allowing pathogens to bypass early immune control. Understanding the dynamic interaction between respiratory viruses and the innate immune system is key to improving strategies for prevention and treatment.

Goal:

This Research Topic aims to explore the complex interplay between respiratory viruses, and the host innate immune system. Many respiratory viruses have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to suppress, evade, or manipulate innate immune responses to enhance their replication and transmission. These viral strategies significantly influence disease severity, host susceptibility, and long-term outcomes. At the same time, variability in host genetics, immune status, and co-infections can affect the efficacy of innate immune responses. A deeper understanding of these interactions is essential for identifying novel therapeutic targets and informing vaccine design. We seek to bring together studies that not only elucidate mechanisms of innate immune recognition and response but also examine how these early events shape the course of infection and the development of adaptive immunity.

Scope and Information for Author

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that investigate the innate immune response to respiratory viruses. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

*Mechanisms of innate immune sensing and signalling in respiratory infections *Viral strategies to evade or subvert innate immunity

*Role of interferons, autophagy, and intrinsic restriction factors

*Influence of host genetics, immune deficiencies, and age on susceptibility

*Crosstalk between innate and adaptive immune responses

*Pathogenesis driven by dysregulated innate responses

*Therapeutic approaches targeting innate immune pathways

*Systems biology and multi-omics approach

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Innate immune response, respiratory virus, host-pathogen, interferons, autophagy, cell-intrinsic antiviral response, mucosal immunity.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.