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Molecular Research on Immune Response to Virus Infection and Vaccines
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Molecular Research on Immune Response to Virus Infection and Vaccines

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 1261

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Giulia Matusali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Interests: virology; arboviruses; emerging viruses; immune response; host–pathogen interaction; SARS-CoV-2; Mpox; COVID-19

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The study of the molecular mechanisms underlying immune responses to viral infections and vaccines is crucial for advancing our understanding of host–pathogen interactions and improving therapeutic and preventive options. This Special Issue aims to address recent advances on the identification of key molecular players and pathways involved in the immune responses to viral infections, including innate and adaptive immunity. By examining the roles of various immune cells, cytokines, and signaling molecules, the goal is to provide insights on the processes that lead to effective viral clearance and long-term immunity in different populations. This Special Issue will include research articles using in vitro and in vivo approaches, as well as advanced techniques, such as genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics, to uncover novel targets for therapeutic interventions and vaccine development.

Dr. Giulia Matusali
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • immunogenicity
  • emerging pathogen vaccination
  • molecular and cellular determinants of vaccine responses in immunocompromised individuals
  • predictive markers of immune response
  • laboratory methods to dissect immune responses to infections and vaccinations

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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16 pages, 875 KiB  
Article
Profile of Selected MicroRNAs as Markers of Sex-Specific Anti-S/RBD Response to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in Health Care Workers
by Simona Anticoli, Maria Dorrucci, Elisabetta Iessi, Salvatore Zaffina, Rita Carsetti, Nicoletta Vonesch, Paola Tomao and Anna Ruggieri
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7636; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157636 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 563
Abstract
Sex-based immunological differences significantly influence the outcome of vaccination, yet the molecular mediators underpinning these differences remain largely elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, have emerged as critical modulators of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we investigated [...] Read more.
Sex-based immunological differences significantly influence the outcome of vaccination, yet the molecular mediators underpinning these differences remain largely elusive. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, have emerged as critical modulators of innate and adaptive immune responses. In this study, we investigated the expression profile of selected circulating miRNAs as potential biomarkers of sex-specific humoral responses to the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in a cohort of health care workers. Plasma samples were collected longitudinally at a defined time point (average 71 days) post-vaccination and analyzed using RT-qPCR to quantify a panel of immune-relevant miRNAs. Anti-spike (anti-S) IgG titers were measured by chemiluminescent immunoassays. Our results revealed sex-dependent differences in miRNA expression dynamics, with miR-221-3p and miR-148a-3p significantly overexpressed in vaccinated female HCWs and miR-155-5p overexpressed in vaccinated males. MiR-148a-3p showed a significant association with anti-S/RBD (RBD: receptor binding domain) IgG levels in a sex-specific manner. Bioinformatic analysis for miRNA targets indicated distinct regulatory networks and pathways involved in innate and adaptive immune responses, potentially underlying the differential immune activation observed between males and females. These findings support the utility of circulating miRNAs as minimally invasive biomarkers for monitoring and predicting sex-specific vaccine-induced immune responses and provide mechanistic insights that may inform tailored vaccination strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Immune Response to Virus Infection and Vaccines)
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17 pages, 2547 KiB  
Article
A Host Cell Vector Model for Analyzing Viral Protective Antigens and Host Immunity
by Sun-Min Ahn, Jin-Ha Song, Seung-Eun Son, Ho-Won Kim, Gun Kim, Seung-Min Hong, Kang-Seuk Choi and Hyuk-Joon Kwon
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157492 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 406
Abstract
Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a persistent threat to the poultry industry, causing substantial economic losses. Although traditional vaccines have helped reduce the disease burden, they typically rely on multivalent antigens, emphasize humoral immunity, and require intensive production. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a persistent threat to the poultry industry, causing substantial economic losses. Although traditional vaccines have helped reduce the disease burden, they typically rely on multivalent antigens, emphasize humoral immunity, and require intensive production. This study aimed to establish a genetically matched host–cell system to evaluate antigen-specific immune responses and identify conserved CD8+ T cell epitopes in avian influenza viruses. To this end, we developed an MHC class I genotype (B21)-matched host (Lohmann VALO SPF chicken) and cell vector (DF-1 cell line) model. DF-1 cells were engineered to express the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 either transiently or stably, and to stably express the matrix 1 (M1) and nucleoprotein (NP) genes of A/chicken/South Korea/SL20/2020 (H9N2, Y280-lineage). Following prime-boost immunization with HA-expressing DF-1 cells, only live cells induced strong hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody titers in haplotype-matched chickens. Importantly, immunization with DF-1 cells transiently expressing NP induced stronger IFN-γ production than those expressing M1, demonstrating the platform’s potential for differentiating antigen-specific cellular responses. CD8+ T cell epitope mapping by mass spectrometry identified one distinct MHC class I-bound peptide from each of the HA-, M1-, and NP-expressing DF-1 cell lines. Notably, the identified HA epitope was conserved in 97.6% of H5-subtype IAVs, and the NP epitope in 98.5% of pan-subtype IAVs. These findings highlight the platform’s utility for antigen dissection and rational vaccine design. While limited by MHC compatibility, this approach enables identification of naturally presented epitopes and provides insight into conserved, functionally constrained viral targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Immune Response to Virus Infection and Vaccines)
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