Host cell entry and antigen presentation

Host cell entry and antigen presentation refers to a complex sequence of biological processes rather than a single molecular target. Host cell entry is the mechanism by which pathogens, such as viruses or bacteria, gain access to the interior of a host cell, often involving specific interactions between microbial surface proteins and host cell receptors like ACE2 or CD4 (V'kovski et al., 2021, Nature Reviews Microbiology). Antigen presentation is the subsequent or parallel process where fragments of these pathogens (antigens) are displayed on the cell surface via Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules to be recognized by T-cells (Roche & Furuta, 2015, Nature Reviews Immunology). While these processes are critical for the progression of infectious diseases and the initiation of the adaptive immune response, they involve a wide array of distinct proteins, enzymes, and signaling pathways. Consequently, this term is considered a functional category or pathway description rather than a specific therapeutic target.

Other names

Viral entry and MHC processingPathogen internalization and immune recognitionHost-pathogen interaction and antigen display

Inhibition of viral attachment or fusion to host cell membranes and modulation of MHC-mediated peptide display to T-cells.