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T cells are a critical component of the immune system and required for protection against viral and bacterial infections. However, the capacity of these cells to provide sufficient protection declines with age, leading to an increased susceptibility to and mortality from infection in older individuals. In many cases, it also contributes to poor vaccine-induced immunity. Understanding the basic biology behind T cell aging is key to unraveling these defects and, in turn, designing more effective vaccines and therapeutics for the older population. Here, we will discuss recent studies that have provided significant insight into the features of T cell aging, how these features may contribute to poor immune responses with advancing age and newer avenues of research that may further enhance anti-viral immunity in older individuals.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) instructs monocytes to differentiate into alveolar macrophages (AM) that preserve lung homeostasis. By comparing AM development in mouse and human, we discovered that COVID-19 patients showed marked defects in GM-CSF-dependent AM instruction. The multi-center, open-label, randomized, controlled SARPAC-trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of 5 days of inhalation of rhu-GM-CSF (sargramostim, Leukine®) in 81 non-ventilated patients with COVID-19 and hypoxemic respiratory failure identified by PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 350mmHg. At day 6, more patients in the sargramostim group experienced at least 25% improvement in oxygenation compared with the standard of care group. Higher numbers of circulating class-switched B cells and effector virus-specific CD8 lymphocytes were found in the sargramostim group. Treatment adverse events, including signs of cytokine storm, were not different between active and control group. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility and safety of inhaled GM-CSF in restoring alveolar gas exchange, while simultaneously boosting anti-COVID-19 immunity. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04326920).

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The design of novel herpes simplex type I (HSV-1)-derived oncolytic virotherapies is a balancing act between safety, immunogenicity and replicative potential. We have undertaken this review to better understand how these considerations can be incorporated into rational approaches to the design of novel herpesvirus oncolytic virotherapies. RECENT FINDINGS: Several recent papers have demonstrated that enhancing the potential of HSV-1 oncolytic viruses to combat anti-viral mechanisms present in the tumor microenvironment leads to greater efficacy than their parental viruses. SUMMARY: It is not entirely clear how the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment affects oncolytic viral replication and spread within tumors. Recent work has shown that the manipulation of specific cellular and molecular mechanisms of immunosuppression operating within the tumor microenvironment can enhance the efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy. We anticipate that future work will integrate greater knowledge of immunosuppression in tumor microenvironments with design of oncolytic virotherapies.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent RNA internal modification, is present in most eukaryotic species and prokaryotes. Studies have highlighted an intricate network architecture by which m6A epitranscriptome impacts on immune response and function. However, it was only until recently that the mechanisms underlying the involvement of m6A modification in immune system were uncovered. Here, we systematically review the m6A involvement in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune cells. Further, the interplay between m6A modification and anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-tumour immunity is also comprehensively summarized. Finally, we focus on the future prospects of m6A modification in immune modulation. A better understanding of the crosstalk between m6A modification and immune system is of great significance to reveal new pathogenic pathways and to develop promising therapeutic targets of diseases.

Main protease and papain-like protease (PLpro) are essential coronaviral enzymes required for polypeptide processing during viral maturation. PLpro additionally cleaves proteinous post-translational modifications from host proteins to evade anti-viral immune responses. Here, we provide biochemical, structural and functional characterizations of PLpro from SARS-CoV-2 (PLproCoV2) and reveal differences to that of SARS (PLproSARS) in controlling interferon (IFN) and NF-kB pathways. PLproCoV2 and PLproSARS share 83% sequence identity, yet they differ in their host substrate preferences: PLproCoV2 predominantly cleaves the ubiquitin-like protein ISG15 off from host proteins, while PLproSARS preferentially targets ubiquitin chains. The crystal structure of PLproCoV2 in complex with ISG15 explains the affinity and higher specificity through distinctive binding to ISG15’s unique amino-terminal ubiquitin-like domain, and enabled the identification of GRL-0617 as a non-covalent candidate inhibitor for PLproCoV2. In human cells, PLproCoV2 cleaves ISG15 from interferon responsive factor 3 (IRF3), blocks its nuclear translocation, and reduces type I interferon responses, whereas PLproSARS preferentially mediates deubiquitination of critical components of the NF-kB pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of PLproCoV2 blocks the virus-induced cytopathogenic effect upon infection with SARS-CoV-2, fosters the anti- viral interferon pathway and reduces viral release from infected cells. We propose that therapeutic targeting of PLproCoV2 can suppress SARS-CoV-2 infection and promote anti-viral immunity.

Significant advances have been made recent years elucidating antiviral immune mechanisms that protect the host from viral infection. Similarly, our understanding of how viruses bind, enter, and replicate within host cells has continued to grow. Yet, viruses continue to take a toll on human health. The influence of chemicals in the environment is among key factors that influence outcomes of viral infection. There is a growing appreciation of the effects that exogenous environmental chemical exposures have on the immune system and antiviral immunity. Epidemiological studies have linked a variety of chemical exposures to poorer health, increased incidence of infection, and worsened vaccine responses. However, the mechanisms that govern these associations are not well understood, limiting our ability to predict or mitigate the effects of environmental exposures on public health. This brief review focuses on recent advances in the field, highlighting novel in vitro and in vivo findings informed by past foundational studies. Furthermore, current information suggests avenues of investigation that have yet to be explored, but which will significantly impact on our understanding about how environmental exposures impact viral defenses, vaccine efficacy, and the spread of contemporary and emerging viral pathogens.

Pork has become the number one meat consumed worldwide. Meeting the demand for pork has forced the revolution of swine production from traditional husbandry practices that involved a few pigs or small herds to intensive concentration of swine raised in multisite production systems. This dramatic change has made the production of pork very efficient, but it has also changed the ecology of many swine diseases, may encourage the emergence of new diseases, and amplifies the economic impact of swine diseases. Sustained treatment of diseases in livestock production is not feasible making prevention of disease a priority. Prevention of livestock diseases involves eliminating exposure to pathogens and anti-viral strategies to prevent or reduce clinical disease. For some swine diseases, efficacious vaccines can be made, however, for other diseases the host/pathogen relationship is more complex and efficacious vaccines are not available. Given the increasing demand for pork, the development of new approaches to improve swine anti-viral immunity is critical. Rate-limiting steps to improving vaccines are understanding how the pathogen interacts with the host's immune system, any immunopathology resulting from such interactions and how the host's immune system resolves the infection. Solving this puzzle will require sustained research and may require new technologies to battle contemporary diseases now wreaking havoc in swine production systems around the world. This Special Issue will focus on current swine viral diseases that are the most challenging to the global production of pork with contributions focusing on anti-viral immunity.

The measles virus (MeV) is a contagious pathogenic RNA virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Morbillivirus, that can cause serious symptoms and even fetal complications. Here, we summarize current molecular advances in MeV research, and emphasize the connection between host cells and MeV replication. Although measles has reemerged recently, the potential for its eradication is promising with significant progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of its replication and host-pathogen interactions.

While it is well established that CD8(+) T cells generated in the absence of CD4(+) T cells mediate defective recall responses, the mechanism by which CD4(+) T cells confer help in the generation of CD8(+) T-cell responses remains poorly understood. To determine whether CD4(+) T-cell-derived IL-21 is an important regulator of CD8(+) T-cell responses in help-dependent and -independent viral infections, we examined these responses in the IL-21Rα(-/-) mouse model. We show that IL-21 has a role in primary CD8(+) T-cell responses and in recall CD8(+) T-cell responses in help-dependent viral infections. This effect is due to a direct action of IL-21 in enhancing the proliferation of virus-specific CD8(+) T cells and reducing their TRAIL expression. These findings indicate that IL-21 is an important mediator of CD4(+) T-cell help to CD8(+) T cells.

Background It is known that crustaceans and insects can persistently carry one or more viral pathogens at low levels, without signs of disease. They may transmit them to their offspring or to naïve individuals, often with lethal consequences. The underlying molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated, but the process has been called viral accommodation. Since tolerance to one virus does not confer tolerance to another, tolerance is pathogen-specific, so the requirement for a specific pathogen response mechanism (memory) was included in the original viral accommodation concept. Later, it was hypothesized that specific responses were based on the presence of viruses in persistent infections. However, recent developments suggest that specific responses may be based on viral sequences inserted into the host genome. Presentation of the hypothesis Non-retroviral fragments of both RNA and DNA viruses have been found in insect and crustacean genomes. In addition, reverse-transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) sequences are also common in their genomes. It is hypothesized that shrimp and other arthropods use these RT to recognize "foreign" mRNA of both RNA and DNA viruses and use the integrases (IN) to randomly insert short cDNA sequences into their genomes. By chance, some of these sequences result in production of immunospecific RNA (imRNA) capable of stimulating RNAi that suppresses viral propagation. Individuals with protective inserts would pass these on to the next generation, together with similar protective inserts for other viruses that could be amalgamated rapidly in individual offspring by random assortment of chromosomes. The most successful individuals would be environmentally selected from billions of offspring. Conclusion This hypothesis for immunity based on an imRNA generation mechanism fits with the general principle of invertebrate immunity based on a non-host, "pattern recognition" process. If proven correct, understanding the process would allow directed preparation of vaccines for selection of crustacean and insect lines applicable in commercial production species (e.g., shrimp and bees) or in control of insect-borne diseases. Arising from a natural host mechanism, the resulting animals would not be artificially, genetically modified (GMO). Reviewers This article was reviewed by Akria Shibuya, Eugene V. Koonin and L. Aravind.

The role of cytokines and chemokines in anti-viral defense has been demonstrated, but their relative contribution to protective anti-viral responses in vivo is not fully understood. Cytokine response modifier D (CrmD) is a secreted receptor for TNF and lymphotoxin containing the smallpox virus-encoded chemokine receptor (SECRET) domain and is expressed by ectromelia virus, the causative agent of the smallpox-like disease mousepox. Here we show that CrmD is an essential virulence factor that controls natural killer cell activation and allows progression of fatal mousepox, and demonstrate that both SECRET and TNF binding domains are required for full CrmD activity. Vaccination with recombinant CrmD protects animals from lethal mousepox. These results indicate that a specific set of chemokines enhance the inflammatory and protective anti-viral responses mediated by TNF and lymphotoxin, and illustrate how viruses optimize anti-TNF strategies with the addition of a chemokine binding domain as soluble decoy receptors.