Neutralizing Antibodies in Infectious Diseases: Sequence Variability, Immune Escape, and their implications for Prevention and Therapy

Neutralizing antibodies are central components of the host defense against infectious diseases, as they can directly block viral entry into host cells and limit pathogen dissemination by targeting surface proteins or those involved in the membrane fusion, thereby preventing infection at an early stage. However, their effectiveness is continuosly influenced by multiple evolutionary and immunological factors: pathogen diversity, antigenic drift, and the emergence of new variants that can alter epitope accesibility and recognition.This Research Topic will examine how sequence variability across viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other clinically relevant pathogens influences antibody recognition, neutralization breadth, Fc-mediated effector functions, and the development of protective immunity. Particular emphasis will be placed on the interplay between innate sensing, antigen presentation, B-cell and T-cell responses, and the mechanisms by which pathogens evade or modulate host immunity. By focusing on immune responses during infection, this topic is well aligned with the section’s interest in microbial interactions with immune cells, innate immune sensing, inflammatory pathways, adaptive–innate crosstalk, and pathogen manipulation of host responses. The collection welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing the immunological basis of neutralizing antibody responses and their translational relevance for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Areas of interest include correlates of protection, the characteristics of the broadly neutralizing antibodies, including the presence of convergent public clonotypes; mucosal and systemic immunity; vaccine-induced versus infection-induced antibody responses, immune imprinting; mechanisms of antibody escape; and strategies to improve preventive and therapeutic efficacy. Studies should provide mechanistic insights into host–microbe immune interactions and the factors underlying differential immune responses to pathogens or vaccines, rather than focusing solely on antibody technology in isolation. This framing keeps the topic clearly within the section’s scope, which prioritizes immune mechanisms during infection and excludes studies addressing immune processes not directly related to infectious disease contexts. We welcome papers addressing the following themes, including but not limited to:-Mechanisms by which pathogen sequence variability alters antibody recognition and neutralization-Immune escape and antigenic evolution in clinically important infectious agents-Crosstalk between innate sensing and the development of neutralizing antibody responses-Contributions of B cells, T follicular helper cells, and cytotoxic T cells to protective immunity-Fc-mediated antibody functions in infection control, inflammation, and tissue protection-Differences between vaccine-elicited and infection-elicited neutralizing antibody responses-Mucosal versus systemic antibody immunity in preventing pathogen transmission and disease-Correlates of protection and biomarkers associated with durable neutralizing immunity-Broadly neutralizing antibodies and their relevance for next-generation vaccines and therapeutics-Translational studies linking immune mechanisms to prevention, passive immunization, and therapeutic applicationsConvergent public neutralizing antibodies in response to related pathogens or pathogen families Topic editors: Victoria Pando-Robles, Martha Pedraza-Escalona, Wei Xu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80956/neutralizing-antibodies-in-infectious-diseases-sequence-variability-immune-escape-and-their-implications-for-prevention-and-therapy