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Metabolic Pathways, COVID-19 and Other Viral Acute Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms...
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Metabolic Pathways, COVID-19 and Other Viral Acute Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 2381

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Simona Iftimie

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Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43204 Reus, Spain
Interests: infectious diseases; inflammation; COVID-19; nosocomial infections; outbreak
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jordi Camps

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Guest Editor
Unitat de Recerca Biomèdica (Biomedical Research Unit), Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
Interests: oxidative stress; inflammation; metabolism; non-communicable diseases; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a pressing issue, particularly among vulnerable populations. While these infections are primarily viral and often self-limiting, they remain the leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions worldwide. However, ARIs can escalate, requiring hospitalization and significantly impacting morbidity and mortality. Respiratory syncytial virus and various strains of influenza, especially influenza A and SARS-CoV-2, play central roles in the spectra of these diseases. The rapid diagnosis and identification of individuals at risk of severe progression are critical for timely and effective treatment.

Recently, there has also been a rise in herpes virus infections, highlighting the importance of understanding common mechanisms across viral diseases to improve treatment strategies. Increased oxidative stress, resulting from the infection and the macrophage-driven immune response, disrupts endogenous antioxidant systems and compromises mitochondrial function. This disruption leads to significant alterations in glycolysis, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, triggering an amplified inflammatory response and exacerbating the severity of symptoms. Research indicates that patients with chronic metabolic diseases are at higher risk of developing severe ARIs, as evidenced by those with atherosclerosis and COVID-19.

This Special Issue invites original research papers and reviews exploring the connections between metabolic pathways and ARIs. We believe that collaboration is key to advancing our understanding and treatment of these diseases. We welcome mechanistic studies in patients, experimental animal models, or cell cultures, as well as research identifying potential metabolic biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, or disease monitoring. Additionally, submissions that focus on novel treatments, such as pharmacological or involving bioactive compounds, and the discovery of new therapeutic targets are highly encouraged. Your contribution to this collaborative effort is crucial.

Dr. Simona Iftimie
Dr. Jordi Camps
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • respiratory syncytial virus
  • influenza
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • viral acute respiratory infections
  • metabolic pathways
  • herpes virus

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3210 KiB  
Article
Significant Reduction of Chenodeoxycholic Acid and Glycochenodeoxycholic Acid in the Elderly with Severe COVID-19
by Shiyang Liu, Wen Xu, Bo Tu, Zhiqing Xiao, Xue Li, Lei Huang, Xin Yuan, Shengdong Luo, Juanjuan Zhou, Xinxin Yang, Junlian Yang, De Chang, Weiwei Chen and Fu-Sheng Wang
Biomolecules 2025, 15(7), 943; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15070943 - 28 Jun 2025
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Abstract
Elderly individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at higher risk of developing cytokine storms and severe outcomes, yet specific biomarkers remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the alteration of primary bile acid metabolism in elderly patients with severe COVID-19 using untargeted metabolomics ( [...] Read more.
Elderly individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at higher risk of developing cytokine storms and severe outcomes, yet specific biomarkers remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the alteration of primary bile acid metabolism in elderly patients with severe COVID-19 using untargeted metabolomics (n = 31), followed by targeted metabolomics to compare patients with disease progression (n = 16) to those without (n = 48). Significant reductions in chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA) levels were identified in severe cases, with GCDCA levels at admission correlating strongly with peak inflammatory markers. In vitro, CDCA, GCDCA, and their receptors, Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) and Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), effectively inhibited the inflammatory response induced by SARS-CoV-2. NOD-like receptor pathway, activated by SARS-CoV-2, may modulate inflammatory cytokines under the treatment of CDCA, GCDCA, and TGR5. CDCA and GCDCA levels at admission predicted disease progression, suggesting their potential as biomarkers for severe COVID-19 in the elderly and highlighting their regulatory role in inflammation, pointing to new therapeutic avenues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic Pathways, COVID-19 and Other Viral Acute Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications: 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 1874 KiB  
Article
Genetic Analysis and Predictive Modeling of COVID-19 Severity in a Hospital-Based Patient Cohort
by Iraide Alloza-Moral, Ane Aldekoa-Etxabe, Raquel Tulloch-Navarro, Ainhoa Fiat-Arriola, Carmen Mar, Eloisa Urrechaga, Cristina Ponga, Isabel Artiga-Folch, Naiara Garcia-Bediaga, Patricia Aspichueta, Cesar Martin, Aitor Zarandona-Garai, Silvia Pérez-Fernández, Eunate Arana-Arri, Juan-Carlos Triviño, Ane Uranga, Pedro-Pablo España and Koen Vandenbroeck-van-Caeckenbergh
Biomolecules 2025, 15(3), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15030393 - 10 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1109
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact, with more than 7 million deaths worldwide. Advanced age and comorbidities partially explain severe cases of the disease, but genetic factors also play a significant role. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been instrumental in identifying [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact, with more than 7 million deaths worldwide. Advanced age and comorbidities partially explain severe cases of the disease, but genetic factors also play a significant role. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been instrumental in identifying loci associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we report the results from a >820 K variant GWAS in a COVID-19 patient cohort from the hospitals associated with IIS Biobizkaia. We compared intensive care unit (ICU)-hospitalized patients with non-ICU-hospitalized patients. The GWAS was complemented with an integrated phenotype and genetic modeling analysis using HLA genotypes, a previously identified COVID-19 polygenic risk score (PRS) and clinical data. We identified four variants associated with COVID-19 severity with genome-wide significance (rs58027632 in KIF19; rs736962 in HTRA1; rs77927946 in DMBT1; and rs115020813 in LINC01283). In addition, we designed a multivariate predictive model including HLA, PRS and clinical data which displayed an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.79. Our results combining human genetic information with clinical data may help to improve risk assessment for the development of a severe outcome of COVID-19. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic Pathways, COVID-19 and Other Viral Acute Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications: 2nd Edition)
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Review

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53 pages, 2310 KiB  
Review
Metabolic Reprogramming in Respiratory Viral Infections: A Focus on SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus
by Jordi Camps, Simona Iftimie, Andrea Jiménez-Franco, Antoni Castro and Jorge Joven
Biomolecules 2025, 15(7), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15071027 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
Respiratory infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus pose significant global health challenges, leading to high morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable populations. Despite their distinct virological characteristics, these viruses exploit host cellular metabolism to [...] Read more.
Respiratory infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus pose significant global health challenges, leading to high morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable populations. Despite their distinct virological characteristics, these viruses exploit host cellular metabolism to support replication, modulate immune responses, and promote disease progression. Emerging evidence shows that they induce metabolic reprogramming, shifting cellular energy production toward glycolysis to meet the bioenergetic demands of viral replication. Additionally, alterations in lipid metabolism, including enhanced fatty acid synthesis and disrupted cholesterol homeostasis, facilitate viral entry, replication, and immune evasion. The dysregulation of mitochondrial function and oxidative stress pathways also contributes to disease severity and long-term complications, such as persistent inflammation and immune exhaustion. Understanding these metabolic shifts is crucial for identifying new therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for early disease detection, prognosis, and patient stratification. This review provides an overview of the metabolic alterations induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus, highlighting shared and virus-specific mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic Pathways, COVID-19 and Other Viral Acute Respiratory Infections: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications: 2nd Edition)
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