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Topic Review
Oncolytic Adenoviruses and AdAPT-001
Adenoviruses are nonenveloped double-stranded DNA viruses with about a 38-kb genome that most commonly cause respiratory symptoms. Adenoviruses are lytic to human cells, but not oncogenic due to lack of host genome integration.
  • 1.1K
  • 18 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Hepatitis C Viral Replication Complex
HCV genomic RNA replication occurs in the replication organelles (RO) and is tightly linked to ER membrane alterations containing replication complexes (proteins NS3 to NS5B). The amplification of HCV genomic RNA could be regulated by the RO biogenesis, the viral RNA structure (i.e., cis-acting replication elements), and both viral and cellular proteins. Studies on HCV replication have led to the development of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) targeting the replication complex.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Gene Expression Profile in Nucleocytoviricota
Nucleocytoviricota is a large group of double-stranded DNA viruses that fully or partially replicate in the host cytoplasm. Despite marked differences, including virion shape, genome length, and host range, viruses belonging to this phylum have some very conserved characteristics, including the gene expression profile. A temporal pattern of gene expression, also known as a transcription cascade model, is described for these viruses, and comparative transcriptome analysis can be used as a starting point for future transcriptomic investigations.
  • 1.1K
  • 06 Aug 2021
Topic Review
The Roles of the Virome in Cancer
Viral infections as well as changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota and virome have been linked to cancer. Moreover, the success of cancer immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has been correlated with the intestinal microbial composition of patients. The transfer of feces—which contain mainly bacteria and their viruses (phages)—from immunotherapy responders to non-responders, known as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), has been shown to be able to convert some non-responders to responders. Since phages may also increase the response to immunotherapy, for example by inducing T cells cross-reacting with cancer antigens, modulating phage populations may provide a new avenue to improve immunotherapy responsiveness.
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Dec 2021
Topic Review
HCV and Hepatic Extracellular Matrix
Chronic infection by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver diseases, predisposing to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver fibrosis is characterized by an overly abundant accumulation of components of the hepatic extracellular matrix, such as collagen and elastin, with consequences on the properties of this microenvironment and cancer initiation and growth. This review will provide an update on mechanistic concepts of HCV-related liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and early stages of carcinogenesis, with a dissection of the molecular details of the cross-talk during disease progression between hepatocytes, the extracellular matrix and hepatic stellate cells.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
COVID-19 Vaccines in Multiple Sclerosis
Understanding the risks of COVID-19 in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) receiving disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and their immune reactions is vital to analyze vaccine response dynamics. A systematic review on COVID-19 course and outcomes in patients receiving different DMTs was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Emerging data on SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was used to elaborate recommendations.
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Alveolar Regeneration in COVID-19 Patients: Network Perspective
Lung alveolar regeneration to repair the damaged tissue and restoration of normal tissue function could be achieved by transplantation of progenitor or stem cells and exosome-mediated delivery of therapeutic agents, including miRNAs. Not only as a biomarker of COVID-19but also as therapeutic agents, miRNAs have proven to play a crucial role in lung damage and repair. miRNAs can either be regulated locally in the lungsor transported to the damaged site by extracellular vehicles (EVs) secreted by stem cells to induce tissue regeneration by decreasing inflammation and apoptosis, stimulating surfactant production, regulating gene expression of junction proteins to repair microvascular permeability, and reducing fibrosis.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Nov 2021
Topic Review
HSP70&HSP90 in Viral Infection
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a large group of chaperones found in most eukaryotes and bacteria. They are responsible for the correct protein folding, protection of the cell against stressors, presenting immune and inflammatory cytokines; furthermore, they are important factors in regulating cell differentiation, survival and death. Although the biological function of HSPs is to maintain cell homeostasis, some of them can be used by viruses both to fold their proteins and increase the chances of survival in unfavorable host conditions.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Wheat Dwarf Virus and Disease
Wheat dwarf disease (WDD) is an important disease of monocotyledonous species, including economically important cereals. The causative pathogen, wheat dwarf virus (WDV), is persistently transmitted mainly by the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus and can lead to high yield losses. Due to climate change, the periods of vector activity increased, and the vectors have spread to new habitats, leading to an increased importance of WDV in large parts of Europe. In the light of integrated pest management, cultivation practices and the use of resistant/tolerant host plants are currently the only effective methods to control WDV.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Herpesviruses and Human Cytomegalovirus
Herpesviruses are the causative agents of several diseases. Infections are generally mild or asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals.  In contrast, herpesvirus infections continue to contribute to significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Few drugs are available for the treatment of human herpesvirus infections, mainly targeting the viral DNA polymerase. Moreover, no successful therapeutic options are available for the Epstein–Barr virus or human herpesvirus 8. Most licensed drugs share the same mechanism of action of targeting the viral polymerase and thus blocking DNA polymerization. Resistances to antiviral drugs have been observed for human cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus. A new terminase inhibitor, letermovir, recently proved effective against human cytomegalovirus. However, the letermovir has no significant activity against other herpesviruses. New antivirals targeting other replication steps, such as capsid maturation or DNA packaging, and inducing fewer adverse effects are therefore needed. Targeting capsid assembly or DNA packaging provides additional options for the development of new drugs.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants in sewage
We have shown that environmental surveillance can be used to monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission detecting virus variants specifically circulating in England and identifying changes in virus variant predominance known to have occurred during the COVID-19 epidemic. It is hoped that environmental surveillance can be used for the early detection of peaks in virus transmission for public health interventions to be timely implemented. 
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Potential Coding of Human Cytomegalovirus
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a large envelope worldwide prevalent betaherpesvirus, ranging from 45% to 100% in the general population based on socio-economic factors. CMV is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals that will benefit from the availability of a vaccine. Despite the efforts made during the last decade, no CMV vaccine is available. An ideal CMV vaccine should elicit a broad immune response against multiple viral antigens including proteins involved in virus-cell interaction and entry. However, the therapeutic use of neutralizing antibodies targeting glycoproteins involved in viral entry achieved only partial protection against infection.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Chikungunya and Zika Viruses
Chikungunya and Zika viruses, both transmitted by mosquito vectors, have globally re-emerged over for the last 60 years and resulted in crucial social and economic concerns. Presently, there is no specific antiviral agent or vaccine against these debilitating viruses. Understanding viral–host interactions is needed to develop targeted therapeutics.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Alignment-Free Study of Viral Diversity
Viral sequence variation can expand the host repertoire, enhance the infection ability, and/or prevent the build-up of a long-term specific immunity by the host. The study of viral diversity is, thus, critical to understand sequence change and its implications for intervention strategies.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Model for MCMV Disease
Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is a natural pathogen of mice that is present in all wild mice populations and has been used extensively as an animal model for human cytomegalovirus disease. By manipulating the mouse strain, the type of virus used, the inoculation route and the addition of various chemotherapeutic treatments (e.g. immunosuppression), many human diseases can be modeled in a realistic and consistent way. This entry describes the many ways that MCMV has been used to model human disease.
  • 1.1K
  • 03 Feb 2021
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Parkinson’s Disease Overlaps
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease, globally. Dopaminergic neuron degeneration in substantia nigra pars compacta and aggregation of misfolded alpha-synuclein are the PD hallmarks, accompanied by motor and non-motor symptoms. Several viruses have been linked to the appearance of a post-infection parkinsonian phenotype. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has evolved from a novel pneumonia to a multifaceted syndrome with multiple clinical manifestations, among which neurological sequalae appear insidious and potentially long-lasting.
  • 1.1K
  • 13 Sep 2022
Topic Review
The Cytokine Storm in COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The clinical presentations of the SARS-CoV-2 infection are widely variable and treatment strategies for COVID-19 are dependent on the infection phase. Timing the right treatment for the right phase of this disease is paramount, with correlations detected between the phase of the infection and the type of drug used to treat. The immune system activation following COVID-19 infection can further develop to a fulminant cytokine storm which can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome. The inflammatory phase, or the hyperinflammation phase, is a later stage when patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, and kidney and other organ failure. In this stage, the virus is probably not necessary and all the damage is due to the immune system’s cytokine storm. Immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory agent administration is the major strategy in treating COVID-19 patients at this stage. On the other hand, immunodeficient patients who are treated with immunomodulator agents have attenuated immune systems that do not produce enough cytokines. Current data do not show an increased risk of severe COVID-19 in patients taking biologic therapies or targeted disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 May 2022
Topic Review
COVID-19 Pandemic
The SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the Coronaviridae family, like the other previously occurring human coronavirus variants.
  • 1.1K
  • 17 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Main Consequences of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2, respectively) are the causative agents of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). At the end of 2021, an estimated 38.4 million people were infected with HIV (mainly HIV-1), which has claimed 40.1 million lives since the beginning of the AIDS pandemic. Even in the presence of highly active and multi-target antiretroviral drugs, HIV resists eradication. More importantly, through the direct induction of CD4+ lymphocyte depletion and the establishment of a chronic inflammatory environment, HIV infection is the primary driver of premature immune senescence and exhaustion, creating a series of deleterious conditions that enable the proliferation and decontrol of multiple pathogens, the development of tumors, and the onset of other non-AIDS comorbidities such as neurocognitive disorders and cardiovascular disease.
  • 1.1K
  • 17 Apr 2023
Topic Review
HIV-1 Entry
Human Immunodeficiency Virus type-1 (HIV-1) establishes a latent viral reservoir soon after infection, which poses a major challenge for drug treatment and curative strategies. Many efforts are therefore focused on blocking infection. To this end, both viral and host factors relevant to the onset of infection need to be considered. Given that HIV-1 is most often transmitted mucosally, strategies designed to protect against infection need to be effective at mucosal portals of entry. These strategies need to contend also with cell-free and cell-associated transmitted/founder (T/F) virus forms; both can initiate and establish infection.
  • 1.1K
  • 06 Mar 2021
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