About this Research Topic
Microbes, pathogens and parasites have evolved an array of mechanisms to manipulate host cell death in order to facilitate their own pathogenesis and survival. These strategies range from subverting cellular apoptotic pathways to inducing necrosis and inflammatory cell death, to initiating a unique form of cell death known as pyroptosis. By manipulating host cell death, microbes, pathogens and parasites are able to evade host immune responses, establish long-term infections, and even cause disease. For example, some bacteria such as Salmonella and Shigella have been shown to induce pyroptosis in infected cells, resulting in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and damage to host tissues. Parasitic infections where host cell death is manipulated include Toxoplasma gondii, which induces host cell necrosis and apoptosis while blocking the host immune response to the parasite. Interestingly even though parasitic infections such as the malarial parasite plasmodium falciparum appear to interface with different cell death programs in different cellular compartments.
Furthering the study in this area, non-traditional infection models such as Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans and organ-on-a-chip offer several advantages such as the potential to study infections in human-relevant tissues and the ability to perform high through-put. Though there are some limitations, the main being difficulties in modelling complex immune interactions and host-pathogen coevolution, their focus in this topic will help bring new angles and allow for a more holistic approach.
For this Research Topic, we want to tackle the topic of further understanding the mechanisms by which microbes, pathogens and parasites manipulate host cell death, as well as including, but not limited to:
• Strategies utilized such as subverting apoptotic pathways, inducing necrosis or pyroptosis, and evading host immune responses
• How human malarial strains cause cell death of red blood cells despite the absence of a nucleus
• Use of non-traditional models including Zebrafish, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, Organ-on-a-chip and stem cell-derived organoids
• How to develop effective treatments and preventative strategies against infection and disease
Furthering the study in this area, non-traditional infection models such as Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans and organ-on-a-chip offer several advantages such as the potential to study infections in human-relevant tissues and the ability to perform high through-put. Though there are some limitations, the main being difficulties in modelling complex immune interactions and host-pathogen coevolution, their focus in this topic will help bring new angles and allow for a more holistic approach.
For this Research Topic, we want to tackle the topic of further understanding the mechanisms by which microbes, pathogens and parasites manipulate host cell death, as well as including, but not limited to:
• Strategies utilized such as subverting apoptotic pathways, inducing necrosis or pyroptosis, and evading host immune responses
• How human malarial strains cause cell death of red blood cells despite the absence of a nucleus
• Use of non-traditional models including Zebrafish, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, Organ-on-a-chip and stem cell-derived organoids
• How to develop effective treatments and preventative strategies against infection and disease
Keywords: Microbes, Pathogens, Parasites, Host Cell Death, Evading Immune Response, Non-traditional Infection Models
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.
