Host Immune Responses to Arachnid Venoms and Toxins: From Pathophysiology to Therapeutic Development

Arachnology and toxinology have increasingly illuminated the structural, biochemical and evolutionary diversity of venom components across spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites and other arachnids. However, the complex interactions between these bioactive compounds and host immune systems remain insufficiently understood. Arachnid venoms contain peptides, enzymes and other molecules that can activate complementary cascades, induce inflammatory pathways, lead to tissue injury, and shape systemic immune profiles in both humans and animals. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of venom composition, molecular targets and clinical syndromes, yet integration of this knowledge with immunopathological outcomes remains limited. There is a critical need to elucidate how immune recognition, modulation and repair mechanisms influence envenomation severity, resolution, and long-term sequelae across phylogenetically and ecologically diverse arachnid taxa.This Research Topic aims to position the host immune response as a central theme in arachnid toxinology, uniting cellular immunology, molecular pathology and translational pharmacology. The goal is to understand how arachnid venoms and toxins interact with and reshape innate and adaptive immune responses, determine patterns of inflammation and healing, and influence therapeutic outcomes. Specifically, this Topic seeks to identify immunological biomarkers of disease severity, decipher mechanisms of immune modulation by venom components, and translate mechanistic insights into improved antivenoms, immunotherapies and adjunctive treatments. By combining perspectives from immunology, toxinology, veterinary and clinical sciences, it encourages an integrative approach that connects mechanistic research to practical interventions, guiding the development of safer and more effective therapeutics for envenomation syndromes in both human and animal health.This Topic welcomes studies across all arachnid orders of medical, veterinary and ecological significance, from the molecular to the organismal level, while focusing on host–venom interplay and its clinical consequences. To gather further insights into this field, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Molecular and cellular mechanisms of immune activation following arachnid envenomationo Venom-induced modulation of innate and adaptive immunityo Complement system involvement and inflammatory cascadeso Immunopathology and tissue regeneration following venom exposureo Comparative immunology across arachnid species and vertebrate hostso Development of antivenoms, immunotherapies and immunomodulatory adjunct treatmentso Biomarkers of envenomation severity, prognosis and recoveryo Translational approaches linking host response mechanisms to therapeutic innovationo Omics, bioinformatics and systems immunology tools for studying venom–host interactions Topic editors: Priscila Hess Lopes, Paula Pohl Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81936/host-immune-responses-to-arachnid-venoms-and-toxins-from-pathophysiology-to-therapeutic-development