Collection
Regulation of antiviral and antimicrobial innate immunity and immune evasion
Central to antiviral or antimicrobial innate immune responses is the detection of evolutionarily conserved structures, termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), by a set of germline-encoded pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). Viral or bacterial infection triggers the rapid induction of the host's innate immune responses. However, these infections have evolved multiple strategies to evade host innate responses and facilitate their infection.
In this Topical Collection, we will explore the most recent findings on the molecular mechanisms utilized by viruses or bacteria to counteract host anti-pathogen innate immune responses with a specific focus on innate immune signaling pathways (RLR, TLR, and cGAS-STING mediated DNA sensing) resulting in type I interferon (IFN-I) production, IFN-I downstream IFNAR-JAK-STAT signal pathways, and ISGs. In addition to the cell response induced by these the signaling pathways, we will also explore the recent advances in regulating or inducing specific innate immunity by exposure to pathogenic and/or commensal bacteria involved in host defense.
The type I interferon (IFN) signal pathway is a central aspect of host defense that induces a wide range of antiviral proteins to control infection of incoming pathogens. Innate immune responses also include DNA damage response, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cytoplasmic stress granules, unfolded protein response (UPR), apoptosis/necrosis/pyrosis/pyroptosis, inflammasome, and other innate immune responses which also affect viral infection.
Similarly, bacterial infections mostly induce inflammation, but their colonization or exposure is necessary for homeostasis. Innate immunity induced by any bacterium is not only responsible for the direct killing of invading bacteria via PAMPs, but also indispensable for the induction of subsequent acquired immunity. Therefore, it is critical to understand how immune strategies are involved in bacterial infection and the mechanisms of innate immunity in order to protect against various diseases.
This Topical Collection will provide an overall picture of innate immune sensing signal pathways. We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, and Perspective articles that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:
1. Mechanisms of different PRRs and their downstream key adaptors to trigger early antiviral or antimicrobial innate immunity;
2. Mechanisms used by host cells to positively or negatively regulate innate immune sensing signal pathways;
3. Viral or bacterial immune evasion mechanisms by targeting immune sensors, adaptor molecules, intracellular kinases, and transcription factors.
Editors
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Chunfu Zheng
Dr. Chunfu Zheng is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary, Canada. Dr. Zheng is internationally recognized for his contributions to research into the antiviral innate immunity to herpesviruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1/2 and varicella-zoster virus, and viral immune evasion mechanism. He was in the top 0.5% of Elsevier Global Elite scientists in 2023, and the top 1% in 2021/2022.
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Naoko Satoh-Takayama
Dr. Naoko Satoh-Takayama is a Senior Research Scientist and Unit Leader at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Japan. Dr. Satoh-Takayama identified a novel immune cell, group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3), and became an Assistant Professor at Institute Pasteur, Paris, after being selected by open competition. Her paper reporting on ILC3 has been cited more than 1,200 times and she is considered a leading specialist in this field. Currently, she is studying the important role of bacteria in regulating immune responses, especially focusing on the subsets of innate lymphoid cells.
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Junji Xing
Dr. Junji Xing is an Assistant Professor at Houston Methodist Research Institute and Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, USA. Dr. Xing is interested in academic and translational research into immunological disorders. Dr. Xing has a broad background in immunology, with specific training and expertise in antiviral innate immunity. As junior faculty, Dr. Xing's research interests have expanded into immune regulations and interventions related to cardiovascular diseases (notably viral and autoimmune myocarditis), infectious diseases (viral and bacterial infections), and allergic diseases (enteritis and asthma).
