Deciphering the Cellular Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Signalling Orchestrated by Plant-Derived Bioactives
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 132
Editor
Interests: herpes simplex virus; nanomaterial; cell signaling; drug delivery; cyclodextrins carriers as drug or nucleic acid delivery system; programmed cell death
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plant-derived bioactive compounds represent a promising resource for developing innovative therapeutics to address the complexities of viral pathogenesis. In particular, identifying agents that exert dual activity, coupling direct antiviral efficacy with targeted modulation of host-mediated signalling, is vital for mitigating infections characterised by exacerbated inflammatory responses. By exploring the intricate interplay between viral replication and host defence, this Special Issue showcases how mechanistic insights into cellular cascades are propelling the discovery of next-generation, natural-product-based drugs. We particularly encourage authors to submit contributions that investigate the modulation of key inflammatory and sensing axes, including the NF−κB pathway, the JAK/STAT interferon response, and MAPK/ERK cascades. Furthermore, a significant focus of this issue is on the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the cGAS-STING DNA-sensing pathway, which play pivotal roles in the host's ability to detect and restrict viral infections while controlling tissue-damaging inflammation. By bridging direct viral inactivation with the suppression of pro-viral intracellular signalling, this collection aims to provide a holistic view of the host–pathogen interface and the therapeutic potential of natural bioactive scaffolds.
Prof. Dr. Maria Teresa Sciortino
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- immunological aspects of herpesvirus infections
- role of PCD in pathogenesis of viral infections
- functional studies of UL49 and UL41 structural proteins during HSV replication
- involvement of ERK1 pathway in the modu-lation of CCR5 receptor
- studies of cyclodextrin carriers as drug or nucleic acid delivery systems for cancer therapy
- imaging for antiviral treatment
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