Impacts of virus infection on cellular stress, cytoskeleton dynamics and induction of antiviral states

  • 1,797

    Total downloads

  • 23k

    Total views and downloads

Submit your idea

You will be redirected to our submission process.

Submit your manuscript summarySubmit your manuscript

About this Research Topic

Submission closed

Background

Virus infection sensing by host cells is key for the induction of an anti-viral state in bystander cells and in the infected cells themselves as well as for the elicitation of both the innate and the adaptive immune responses, which are required to fight the virus. Host cells detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that, when activated, lead to signal transduction events resulting in the expression of cytokines including type I interferons (IFNs). Type I IFNs act in autocrine and paracrine manners and elicit the expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) that lead to the establishment of a cellular anti-viral state. Along with the induction of IFNs/pro-inflammatory cytokines, virus-infected cells often present dramatic reorganization of their cytoskeleton and activation of stress pathways such as autophagy, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and cellular death.

The goal of this research topic is to allow authors to help clarify how actin/microtubule cytoskeleton remodeling as well as cell stress pathway engagement occur following virus infection and the innate immune sensing of viral PAMPs by PRRs and downstream secretion of type I IFNs and expression of ISGs. Although many groups have highlighted intense reorganizations of the cytoskeleton during virus infection, which can in some instances favor virus trafficking to cellular locations suitable for virus replication, the mechanism regulating these effects and their impact on cell anti-viral state remain to be clarified. Several studies highlighted that the induction of cell stress response such as the UPR and autophagy and even cellular death can directly or indirectly impact viral replication, but mechanism at play and the impacts of such stress pathways on the induction of type I IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines by the infected cells remains to be better understood. Precise fine-tuning of cytoskeleton dynamics and of cell stress pathways experimentally during virus infection may help better understand the implications of these pathways on host cell responses to virus infection.

Manuscripts of interest would be the ones that describe, the following cell infection by DNA or RNA viruses:
• Changes in cytoskeleton organization
• The induction of cell stress or cell death pathways
• The acquisition of an anti-viral state in infected and/or bystander cells
• The impacts of cytoskeleton dynamics or cell stress pathway engagement on the anti-viral state establishment in cells

The experimental approaches of interest could be:
• Experimental models using novel genetical/chemical means of perturbing cytoskeleton dynamics and stress pathways in highly specific manners to demonstrate the impacts of such perturbations on anti-viral state acquisition in human or mouse cell lines or primary cells.
• In vivo mouse models within which stress/death pathways or cytoskeleton dynamics can be monitored and/or altered during virus infection. The alteration would allow the study of the impact of these pathways on the anti-viral immune response, including the priming of the adaptive immune response.
• In vitro/ex vivo only studies would be suitable too if mechanisms are well characterized.

Keywords: Cellular stress, cytoskeleton, virus infection, cell response

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.

Topic editors

Frequently asked questions

  • Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

    Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

  • The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

    Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

  • As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

    A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

  • Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

  • Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

    As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

    Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

     

  • Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

    Check available article types here 

  • Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

    Suggest your topic here 

  • A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

    The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

  • As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

     

    You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

  • As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

  • If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

  • Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

  • Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

  • As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

    Find out more about our Research Topics

  • Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

    Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

  • In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.

     

Impact

  • 23kTopic views
  • 4,941Article views
  • 1,797Article downloads
View impact