ReviewFrontiers in immunology2026
Circular nucleic acids at the host-virus interface: from immune modulation to therapeutic innovation.
Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Non-coding RNAs: master regulators in the battle between host antiviral defense and viral replication.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Nucleic acids, long regarded as linear polymers, are now recognized to also exist in circular forms with profound biological significance in both eukaryotic hosts and viruses. This review synthesizes emerging insights into the diverse roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and other circular nucleic acids in viral infection and immunity. We first discuss the biogenesis and functions of host-derived circRNAs, emphasizing their complex interplay with innate immunity. These molecules display a striking duality-capable of activating antiviral defenses through pattern recognition receptors such as RIG-I and PKR, yet also exploited by viruses as modulators of immune evasion. We then examine how viral evolution has repeatedly converged on circular architectures, from the minimalist circular RNA genomes of viroids and hepatitis D virus (HDV) to transiently or covalently circularized RNA and DNA viral genomes. A particular focus is placed on hepatitis B virus (HBV), whose covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) serves as the persistent nuclear template driving viral replication and chronic infection. We summarize current understanding of cccDNA transcriptional regulation, host factors influencing its activity, and clinical biomarkers such as serum HBV RNA and HBcrAg that reflect cccDNA dynamics. Finally, we highlight the biotechnological applications of circularity, including circRNA-based vaccines offering superior stability and durable antigen expression, and circular nucleic acid probes for viral diagnostics. Collectively, this review positions circular nucleic acids as central players at the host-virus interface, shaping immunity, persistence, and the next generation of antiviral strategies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.