GPCRs and their signaling in infectious diseases

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by pathogenic microorganisms—including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites—that invade a host, replicate, and disrupt normal biological functions. These diseases span a broad clinical spectrum, ranging from mild and self-limited infections, such as the common cold, to severe and life-threatening conditions, including sepsis, tuberculosis, Ebola, and COVID-19. G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the most ancient and largest family of receptors in humans and occupy a central position at the interface between host sensing and pathogen manipulation. During infection, hosts rely on GPCRs to detect pathogen-associated cues, coordinate immune cell migration, and initiate protective immune responses. Conversely, many pathogens exploit GPCRs as entry cofactors, signaling targets, or immune-modulatory tools to subvert host defenses and promote their own survival.Despite extensive progress, several fundamental questions remain unresolved. How do pathogens rewire the spatiotemporal dynamics of GPCR signaling within immune cells? Can GPCR signaling bias be therapeutically exploited to uncouple host protection from immunopathology? How does GPCR crosstalk with other innate immune receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs), shape infection outcomes? Addressing these questions is critical for advancing our understanding of host–pathogen interactions and for developing novel host-directed therapeutic strategies against infectious diseases. This Research Topic, GPCRs and Their Signaling in Infectious Diseases, aims to bring together the most recent advances in GPCR biology and host–pathogen interactions, highlighting mechanistic insights, emerging concepts, and therapeutic opportunities at the intersection of GPCR signaling and infectious disease research.To gather further insights in this interdisciplinary area, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Molecular mechanisms of GPCR activation and signaling during infection• Pathogen strategies for subverting or co-opting host GPCRs• GPCR crosstalk with pattern recognition receptors (e.g., TLRs, NLRs)• Spatiotemporal regulation of GPCR signaling in immune cell subsets• Therapeutic targeting of GPCRs in infectious diseases• Host-directed interventions and signal biasing to control immunopathology• Clinical and translational research, including case studies and trial protocols on GPCR-targeted therapies• Technological advances for studying GPCR signaling during infection Topic editors: Xuehua Xu, Tian Jin, Yuntao Wu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77318/gpcrs-and-their-signaling-in-infectious-diseases