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Vaccines
Special Issues
Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development
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Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathogens-Host Immune Boundaries".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 7451

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Masaaki Miyazawa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osakasayama 589-8511, Japan
2. Research and Development Center for Nasal Mucosal Vaccine, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd., 2438 Miyanoura, Kagoshima 891-1394, Japan
Interests: host restriction factors; retroviruses; APOBEC3; epitopes; CD4-positive T-lymphocyte; vaccine strategies; resistance to infection; immune regulatory genes; autoimmune diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Host genetic factors, exemplified by MHC restriction, strictly regulate immune responses against viruses. However, innate responses are also under genetic control and affect vaccine efficacies. Correlates of protection against viral infections are explored and defined for practical purposes, but they may not reflect mechanisms of protection that operate in vivo.  Thus, virus-neutralizing antibodies may not only interfere with viral attachment and entry to host cells but can also facilitate adaptive immune responses through immune complex formation, complement activation, and binding to receptors on antigen-presenting cells. A more profound understanding of genetically regulated defense mechanisms is essential for the more strategic development of antiviral vaccines.

This Special Issue summarizes recent advances in host genetic control of intracellular defense mechanisms, innate and adaptive immune responses, and their interactions in viral infections.  We also welcome original research reports closely related to host–virus interactions and vaccine development.

Prof. Dr. Masaaki Miyazawa
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. Vaccines 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

  • virus infection
  • host genes
  • immune regulation
  • innate immunity
  • immunological memory
  • vaccine efficacy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1043 KiB  
Article
Impact of Vaccination and Prior Infection on SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Preschool Children During the Omicron Pandemic
by Mitsuyoshi Suzuki, Akifumi Tokita, Mariko Inaba, Yoshimi Tada, Kyoko Shuri, Asako Miura, Mitsuharu Fukazawa, Masashi Fujioka, Yuko Sakai-Tagawa, Seiya Yamayoshi, Kiyoko Iwatsuki-Horimoto, Yoshihiro Kawaoka and Masaaki Miyazawa
Vaccines 2025, 13(8), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13080850 - 11 Aug 2025
Abstract
Background: Preschool-aged children can have difficulty adhering to infection control measures and were affected during the Omicron wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the impacts of prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and vaccination on viral load [...] Read more.
Background: Preschool-aged children can have difficulty adhering to infection control measures and were affected during the Omicron wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the impacts of prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and vaccination on viral load in this age group remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, and viral load or clinical severity in preschool-aged children infected during the Omicron variant epidemic in Japan. Methods: This prospective observational study investigated 107 children aged 1–75 months who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between May and September 2023. Rapid antigen (Ag) tests were performed on days 1 and 5 or 6, and results were visually graded into four categories (–, ±, 1+, or 2+). Ag results were validated against quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values. Clinical parameters, including vaccination status, previous infection, age, maximum body temperature, and fever duration, were analyzed using multivariate regression models. Results: Higher Ag loads (1+/2+) were more frequently observed in younger children who had not experienced prior infection or full vaccination. Prior infection and vaccination were independently linked to lower Ag loads and reduced maximum body temperature. Many unvaccinated and infection-naïve children continued to show elevated Ag levels on day 5 or 6, corresponding to Ct values suggestive of potential infectivity. Conclusions: Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination were linked to lower viral loads and milder febrile responses among preschool-aged children. These findings enhance our understanding of infection dynamics in this age group and may inform future discussions on public health strategies in pediatric settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development)
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16 pages, 7017 KiB  
Article
Rapid and Scalable Production of Functional SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles (VLPs) by a Stable HEK293 Cell Pool
by Sitthiphol Puarattana-aroonkorn, Kannan Tharakaraman, Disapan Suriyawipada, Mathuros Ruchirawat, Mayuree Fuangthong, Ram Sasisekharan and Charlermchai Artpradit
Vaccines 2024, 12(6), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12060561 - 21 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3494
Abstract
At times of pandemics, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the situation demands rapid development and production timelines of safe and effective vaccines for delivering life-saving medications quickly to patients. Typical biologics production relies on using the lengthy [...] Read more.
At times of pandemics, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the situation demands rapid development and production timelines of safe and effective vaccines for delivering life-saving medications quickly to patients. Typical biologics production relies on using the lengthy and arduous approach of stable single-cell clones. Here, we used an alternative approach, a stable cell pool that takes only weeks to generate compared to a stable single-cell clone that needs several months to complete. We employed the membrane, envelope, and highly immunogenic spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) using the HEK293-F cell line as a host system with an economical transfection reagent. The cell pool showed the stability of protein expression for more than one month. We demonstrated that the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLPs using this cell pool was scalable up to a stirred-tank 2 L bioreactor in fed-batch mode. The purified VLPs were properly assembled, and their size was consistent with the authentic virus. Our particles were functional as they specifically entered the cell that naturally expresses ACE-2. Notably, this work reports a practical and cost-effective manufacturing platform for scalable SARS-CoV-2 VLPs production and chromatographic purification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development)
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Review

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14 pages, 813 KiB  
Review
Innate Sensing of Viral Nucleic Acids and Their Use in Antiviral Vaccine Development
by Takuji Enya and Susan R. Ross
Vaccines 2025, 13(2), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13020193 - 16 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1493
Abstract
Viruses pose a significant threat to humans by causing numerous infectious and potentially fatal diseases. Understanding how the host’s innate immune system recognizes viruses is essential to understanding pathogenesis and ways to control viral infection. Innate immunity also plays a critical role in [...] Read more.
Viruses pose a significant threat to humans by causing numerous infectious and potentially fatal diseases. Understanding how the host’s innate immune system recognizes viruses is essential to understanding pathogenesis and ways to control viral infection. Innate immunity also plays a critical role in shaping adaptive immune responses induced by vaccines. Recently developed adjuvants often include nucleic acids that stimulate pattern recognition receptors which are essential components of innate immunity necessary for activating antigen-presentation cells and thereby bridging innate and adaptive immunity. Therefore, understanding viral nucleic acid sensing by cytosolic sensors is essential, as it provides the potential means for developing new vaccine strategies, including effective adjuvants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development)
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15 pages, 1178 KiB  
Review
The Role of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells in Viral Infections and Their Function in Vaccine Development
by Chie Sugimoto and Hiroshi Wakao
Vaccines 2025, 13(2), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13020155 - 2 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1649
Abstract
Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells, which bridge innate and adaptive immunity, have emerged as an important player in viral infections despite their inability to directly recognize viral antigens. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of MAIT cell responses across different viral infections, revealing [...] Read more.
Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells, which bridge innate and adaptive immunity, have emerged as an important player in viral infections despite their inability to directly recognize viral antigens. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of MAIT cell responses across different viral infections, revealing consistent patterns in their behavior and function. We discuss the dynamics of MAIT cells during various viral infections, including changes in their frequency, activation status, and functional characteristics. Particular attention is given to emerging strategies for MAIT-cell-targeted vaccine development, including the use of MR1 ligands as mucosal adjuvants and the activation of MAIT cells through viral vectors and mRNA vaccines. Current knowledge of MAIT cell biology in viral infections provides promising approaches for harnessing their functions in vaccine development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Virus Interactions and Vaccine Development)
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