Topic Review
Avian Influenza A Viruses Modulate the Cellular Cytoskeleton
Influenza is one of the most prevalent causes of death worldwide. Influenza A viruses (IAVs) naturally infect various avian and mammalian hosts, causing seasonal epidemics and periodic pandemics with high morbidity and mortality. The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic showed how an animal virus strain could unpredictably acquire the ability to infect humans with high infection transmissibility. Importantly, highly pathogenic avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) may cause human infections with exceptionally high mortality. Because these latter infections pose a pandemic potential, analyzing the ecology and evolution features of host expansion helps to identify new broad-range therapeutic strategies. Although IAVs are the prototypic example of molecular strategies that capitalize on their coding potential, the outcome of infection depends strictly on the complex interactions between viral and host cell factors. Most of the studies have focused on the influenza virus, while the contribution of host factors remains largely unknown. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of mammals’ host response to AIV infection is crucial.
  • 43
  • 15 Apr 2024
Topic Review
SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses in Olfactory Pathophysiology
Acute respiratory viruses (ARVs) are the leading cause of diseases in humans worldwide. High-risk individuals, including children and the elderly, could potentially develop severe illnesses that could result in hospitalization or death in the worst case. The most common ARVs are the Human respiratory syncytial virus, Human Metapneumovirus, Human Parainfluenza Virus, rhinovirus, coronaviruses (including SARS and MERS CoV), adenoviruses, Human Bocavirus, enterovirus (-D68 and 71), and influenza viruses. The olfactory deficits due to ARV infection are a common symptom among patients. 
  • 67
  • 18 Mar 2024
Topic Review
ATF4 Role during HIV-1 Replication
Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is a transcription factor known to regulate genes associated with the sensing of cellular stress such as amino acid deprival, protein misfolding, growth arrest, and cell death. Despite its key role at the crossroads of immune and stress responses, the precise impact of ATF4 during viral infections remains unclear. Thus, ATF4 has a dual role in promoting cell survival or cell death, but also in limiting infection or participating in viral replication.
  • 49
  • 18 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Interferon-Stimulated Genes as Influenza Virus Host Restriction Factors
Influenza virus exploits host factors to promote each step of its lifecycle. In turn, the host deploys antiviral or restriction factors that inhibit or restrict the influenza virus lifecycle at each of those steps. Two broad categories of host restriction factors can exist in virus-infected cells: (1) encoded by the interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and (2) encoded by the constitutively expressed genes that are not stimulated by interferons (non-ISGs). There are hundreds of ISGs known, and many, e.g., Mx, IFITMs, and TRIMs, have been characterized to restrict influenza virus infection at different stages of its lifecycle, by (1) blocking viral entry or progeny release, (2) sequestering or degrading viral components and interfering with viral synthesis and assembly, or (3) bolstering host innate defenses. 
  • 42
  • 15 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Long Terminal Repeat Promoters of Endogenous Retroviruses
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) became a part of the eukaryotic genome through endogenization millions of years ago. Moreover, they have lost their innate capability of virulence or replication. Nevertheless, in eukaryotic cells, they actively engage in various activities that may be advantageous or disadvantageous to the cells. The mechanisms by which transcription is triggered and implicated in cellular processes are complex. Owing to the diversity in the expression of transcription factors (TFs) in cells and the TF-binding motifs of viruses, the comprehensibility of ERV initiation and its impact on cellular functions are unclear. Currently, several factors are known to be related to their initiation. TFs that bind to the viral long-terminal repeat (LTR) are critical initiators. 
  • 49
  • 14 Mar 2024
Topic Review
HTLV-1 Tax Structure Models
Human T-cell Leukemia Virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a human retrovirus responsible for leukaemia in 5 to 10% of infected individuals. Among the viral proteins, Tax has been described as directly involved in virus-induced leukemogenesis. Tax is therefore an interesting therapeutic target. However, its 3D structure is still unknown and this hampers the development of drug-design-based therapeutic strategies. Several algorithms are available that can be used to predict the structure of proteins, particularly with the recent appearance of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pipelines. However, Tax seems to be resistant to such predictions.
  • 50
  • 13 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques in SARS-CoV-2 Detection
The urgent need for accurate COVID-19 diagnostics has led to the development of various SARS-CoV-2 detection technologies. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) remains a reliable viral gene detection technique, while other molecular methods, including nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) and isothermal amplification techniques, provide diverse and effective approaches. Serological assays, detecting antibodies in response to viral infection, are crucial for disease surveillance. Saliva-based immunoassays show promise for surveillance purposes. The efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection varies, with IgM indicating recent exposure and IgG offering prolonged detectability. Various rapid tests, including lateral-flow immunoassays, present opportunities for quick diagnosis, but their clinical significance requires validation through further studies.
  • 37
  • 12 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Immune and Antiviral Effects of Euglena Extracts
Influenza is an acute respiratory illness caused by influenza virus infection, which is managed using vaccines and antiviral drugs. Recently, the antiviral effects of plants and foods have gained attention. Euglena is a motile unicellular alga and eukaryotic photosynthetic microorganism. It has secondary chloroplasts and is a mixotroph able to feed by photosynthesis or phagocytosis.
  • 111
  • 01 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Stable Packaging and Producer Cell Lines for AAV
Today, recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors represent the vector systems which are mostly used for in vivo gene therapy for the treatment of rare and less-rare diseases. Although most of the past developments have been performed by using a transfection-based method and more than half of the authorized rAAV-based treatments are based on transfection process, the tendency is towards the use of stable inducible packaging and producer cell lines because their use is much more straightforward and leads in parallel to reduction in the overall manufacturing costs.
  • 219
  • 29 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Infectious Agents Involved in Cutaneous Lymphoma Etiopathogenesis
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) belongs to the heterogeneous group of primary cutaneous lymphomas (CLs), the second most common extranodal non-Hodgkin hematological malignancy. CTCL accounts for approximately 75% of all CLs. Infectious agents are known to induce cancers by acting in either direct or indirect ways. Direct carcinogenesis is exerted, e.g., by the oncogenic viruses (papillomaviruses, polyomaviruses, retroviruses, and herpesviruses, among others), which initiate infections leading, through direct virus-driven mechanisms, to malignant cell transformations. Indirect carcinogenesis is typically associated with chronic infections and inflammation. In CTCL, the malignant T-cell population consists of various clones that share a common TCR-Vß epitope, in contrast to the malignant T-lymphocyte clonal expansion characteristic of other lymphomas. Since the ability to initiate polyclonal T-cell expansion in a Vß-restricted manner is characteristic of pathogen-produced immunostimulatory molecules known as superantigens, it was proposed that in CTCL carcinogenesis a bacterial and/or viral superantigen might serve as the trigger of chronic antigen stimulation and excessive T-cell proliferation.
  • 63
  • 29 Feb 2024
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