Antiviral Molecular Mechanisms - Second Edition
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Immunology, Vaccines, and Antivirals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2024) | Viewed by 1419
Special Issue Editor
Interests: virology; DNA viruses; antivirals; drug resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The development of antivirals to combat viral infections is a long process requiring multidisciplinary approaches. Antiviral drug discovery is mainly focused on two different strategies: targeting the viral cycle or targeting host cell factors. A critical step in antiviral drug discovery includes basic virological research identifying potential viral or host targets. Analysis of the molecular mechanism of action of antivirals is fundamental for predicting and understanding side effects, drug interactions, and the emergence of resistance, for increasing the spectrum of activity, and for improving efficacy.
In the past few decades, the world has been confronted with several outbreaks caused by zoonotic viruses, including Ebola, Influenza A (H1N1), SARS, MERS, Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic), with a tremendous global impact on public health, society, and economy. Thousands of compounds, including newly synthesized molecules and repurposed drugs, are being investigated to fight against (re)emerging viral infections. Although computer simulation is an essential tool with which to elucidate conformational changes at the molecular level, it needs to be complemented by biological assays. Cell culture-based assays are commonly employed for hit identification and studies of the molecular mechanism of action. The use of extensive and appropriate molecular biological assays is fundamental for investigating in detail the viral replicative cycle, the molecular mechanisms of inhibition of antivirals, and the key molecular determinants of antiviral drug resistance, which will help in selecting the most promising antivirals for clinical use.
In this Special Issue, we welcome manuscripts that focus on an in-depth understanding of the molecular details of direct-acting antivirals as well as host-targeting inhibitors in relation to the virus cycle. This will assist the development of broad-spectrum antivirals (BSAAs), which can inhibit a range of viruses by targeting conserved viral replication processes and/or viral proteins, or alternatively by affecting commonly used host factors that are necessary for viral multiplication. BSAAs are important not only for the control of emerging and re-emerging diseases but also endemic viral pathogens (e.g., HBV and herpesviruses) that have been infecting and co-evolving with humans for centuries.
Prof. Dr. Graciela Andrei
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- direct-acting antiviral agents
- host cell targets
- broad-spectrum antiviral agents
- (re)emerging viral infections
- molecular mechanisms of antivirals
- molecular mechanisms of drug resistance
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