International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Courtney B. Woolsey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Microbiology & Immunology, UT Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
Interests: ebolaviruses; Marburg virus; Nipah virus; Hendra virus; Lassa virus; BSL-4 pathogens; emerging viruses; nonhuman primate models; development of vaccines and therapeutics; spatial biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Viral infections continue to pose significant health and social challenges globally. Diseases caused by viruses can range from mild to severe, affecting millions of people each year and causing substantial morbidity and mortality. The continued emergence and re-emergence of viruses highlight a critical need for comprehensive research in understanding immunopathological mechanisms, developing effective vaccines and advancing treatment strategies. Addressing these issues is crucial for improving public health and enhancing our preparedness for future viral outbreaks.

This Special Issue aims to collect recent molecular and preclinical research findings on a wide range of topics related to immunopathology, vaccine development and the treatment of viruses, including, but not limited, to:

Immunological responses to viral infections: mechanisms of immune responses against viral pathogens, including the role of innate and adaptive immunity;
Vaccine development and design: novel approaches and strategies for the development of vaccines against various viruses;
Antiviral therapeutics: discovery and development of antiviral drugs, including small molecules, biologics, monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutic interventions;
Immunopathological studies: immunopathological aspects of viral infections, focusing on host–virus interactions, immune evasion strategies employed by viruses and virus-associated tissue damage;
Emerging viral diseases: addressing challenges posed by emerging and re-emerging viruses, highlighting innovative approaches to understand, prevent and treat these infections.

Given your valuable contributions to this research field, we warmly welcome original research papers and reviews on these broad and relevant topics.

Best regards,

Dr. Courtney B. Woolsey
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

virus
immunopathology
vaccines
treatments
therapeutics
pathogenesis
molecular virology
emerging viruses

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conservation of HLA Spike Protein Epitopes Supports T Cell Cross-Protection in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccinated Individuals against the Potentially Zoonotic Coronavirus Khosta-2

by Antonio J. Martín-Galiano and Daniel López

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6087; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116087 - 31 May 2024

Abstract

Heterologous vaccines, which induce immunity against several related pathogens, can be a very useful and rapid way to deal with new pandemics. In this study, the potential impact of licensed COVID-19 vaccines on cytotoxic and helper cell immune responses against Khosta-2, a novel sarbecovirus that productively infects human cells, was analyzed for the 567 and 41 most common HLA class I and II alleles, respectively. Computational predictions indicated that most of these 608 alleles, covering more than 90% of the human population, contain sufficient fully conserved T-cell epitopes between the Khosta-2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike-in proteins. Ninety percent of these fully conserved peptides for class I and 93% for class II HLA molecules were verified as epitopes recognized by CD8⁺ or CD4⁺ T lymphocytes, respectively. These results show a very high correlation between bioinformatic prediction and experimental assays, which strongly validates this study. This immunoinformatics analysis allowed a broader assessment of the alleles that recognize these peptides, a global approach at the population level that is not possible with experimental assays. In summary, these findings suggest that both cytotoxic and helper cell immune protection elicited by currently licensed COVID-19 vaccines should be effective against Khosta-2 virus infection. Finally, by being rapidly adaptable to future coronavirus pandemics, this study has potential public health implications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunopathology, Vaccine Development and Treatment of Viruses)

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 1134 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms of the Toll-like Receptor Response to Influenza Virus Infection

by Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh, Michinori Kohara and Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 5909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25115909 - 29 May 2024

Viewed by 351

Abstract

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a significant global threat to human health. A tightly controlled host immune response is critical to avoid any detrimental effects of IAV infection. It is critical to investigate the association between the response of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and influenza virus. Because TLRs may act as a double-edged sword, a balanced TLR response is critical for the overall benefit of the host. Consequently, a thorough understanding of the TLR response is essential for targeting TLRs as a novel therapeutic and prophylactic intervention. To date, a limited number of studies have assessed TLR and IAV interactions. Therefore, further research on TLR interactions in IAV infection should be conducted to determine their role in host–virus interactions in disease causation or clearance of the virus. Although influenza virus vaccines are available, they have limited efficacy, which should be enhanced to improve their efficacy. In this study, we discuss the current status of our understanding of the TLR response in IAV infection and the strategies adopted by IAVs to avoid TLR-mediated immune surveillance, which may help in devising new therapeutic or preventive strategies. Furthermore, recent advances in the use of TLR agonists as vaccine adjuvants to enhance influenza vaccine efficacy are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunopathology, Vaccine Development and Treatment of Viruses)

► Show Figures