Pathogen-Integrated Non-Coding Sequences: Regulatory Roles in Infection, Immune Response, and Disease

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 35

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: computational biology; circular RNAs; long noncoding RNAs; alternative splicing; transposons
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pathogens can integrate their genetic material into the host genome, giving rise to non-coding sequences that regulate host immune responses and influence disease progression. These integrated non-coding sequences, originating from viruses, transposons, or other horizontally transferred elements, can modulate both pathogen and host gene expression, affecting immune evasion, chronic infection, and cancer development. This Special Issue explores the role of pathogen-integrated non-coding sequences in shaping immune responses, with a focus on how these elements influence immune cell profiles (e.g., lymphocyte subpopulations) and contribute to the diagnosis or differentiation of diseases such as tuberculosis and HPV-related cancers (e.g., cervical cancer). We welcome studies that investigate how these sequences impact host–pathogen interactions, immune system modulation, and their potential as diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in infectious diseases and pathogen-associated cancers.

Prof. Dr. Xiao-Ou Zhang
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. Pathogens 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 2200 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

  • non-coding sequences
  • pathogen genome integration
  • immune response
  • lymphocyte subpopulations
  • diagnostic biomarkers
  • tuberculosis
  • HPV-related cancers
  • cervical cancer
  • pathogen-associated cancers
  • infectious diseases

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop