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Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej P, Majchrzak A, Kurkowska S, Małkowska P, Sierawska O, Hrynkiewicz R, Parczewski M. Immune Signature of COVID-19: In-Depth Reasons and Consequences of the Cytokine Storm. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4545. [PMID: 35562935 PMCID: PMC9105989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the beginning of the third year of the fight against COVID-19, the virus remains at least still one step ahead in the pandemic "war". The key reasons are evolving lineages and mutations, resulting in an increase of transmissibility and ability to evade immune system. However, from the immunologic point of view, the cytokine storm (CS) remains a poorly understood and difficult to combat culprit of the extended number of in-hospital admissions and deaths. It is not fully clear whether the cytokine release is a harmful result of suppression of the immune system or a positive reaction necessary to clear the virus. To develop methods of appropriate treatment and therefore decrease the mortality of the so-called COVID-19-CS, we need to look deeply inside its pathogenesis, which is the purpose of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Majchrzak
- Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Immune Deficiency, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-455 Szczecin, Poland; (A.M.); (M.P.)
| | - Sara Kurkowska
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Paulina Małkowska
- Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland; (P.M.); (O.S.); (R.H.)
- Doctoral School, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Olga Sierawska
- Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland; (P.M.); (O.S.); (R.H.)
- Doctoral School, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Rafał Hrynkiewicz
- Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, 71-412 Szczecin, Poland; (P.M.); (O.S.); (R.H.)
| | - Miłosz Parczewski
- Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Immune Deficiency, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, 71-455 Szczecin, Poland; (A.M.); (M.P.)
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Kumar S, Çalışkan DM, Janowski J, Faist A, Conrad BCG, Lange J, Ludwig S, Brunotte L. Beyond Vaccines: Clinical Status of Prospective COVID-19 Therapeutics. Front Immunol 2021; 12:752227. [PMID: 34659259 PMCID: PMC8519339 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.752227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since November 2019 the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused nearly 200 million infection and more than 4 million deaths globally (Updated information from the World Health Organization, as on 2nd Aug 2021). Within only one year into the pandemic, several vaccines were designed and reached approval for the immunization of the world population. The remarkable protective effects of the manufactured vaccines are demonstrated in countries with high vaccination rates, such as Israel and UK. However, limited production capacities, poor distribution infrastructures and political hesitations still hamper the availability of vaccines in many countries. In addition, due to the emergency of SARS-CoV-2 variants with immune escape properties towards the vaccines the global numbers of new infections as well as patients developing severe COVID-19, remains high. New studies reported that about 8% of infected individuals develop long term symptoms with strong personal restrictions on private as well as professional level, which contributes to the long socioeconomic problems caused by this pandemic. Until today, emergency use-approved treatment options for COVID-19 are limited to the antiviral Remdesivir, a nucleoside analogue targeting the viral polymerase, the glucocorticosteroide Dexamethasone as well as neutralizing antibodies. The therapeutic benefits of these treatments are under ongoing debate and clinical studies assessing the efficiency of these treatments are still underway. To identify new therapeutic treatments for COVID-19, now and by the post-pandemic era, diverse experimental approaches are under scientific evaluation in companies and scientific research teams all over the world. To accelerate clinical translation of promising candidates, repurposing approaches of known approved drugs are specifically fostered but also novel technologies are being developed and are under investigation. This review summarizes the recent developments from the lab bench as well as the clinical status of emerging therapeutic candidates and discusses possible therapeutic entry points for the treatment strategies with regard to the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and the clinical course of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Kumar
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- EvoPAD Research Training Group 2220, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Duygu Merve Çalışkan
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- EvoPAD Research Training Group 2220, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Josua Janowski
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- SP BioSciences Graduate Program, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Aileen Faist
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- CiM-IMPRS Graduate Program, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Julius Lange
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stephan Ludwig
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- EvoPAD Research Training Group 2220, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- CiM-IMPRS Graduate Program, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Medical Research, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Linda Brunotte
- Institute of Virology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Medical Research, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Ramasamy S, Subbian S. Critical Determinants of Cytokine Storm and Type I Interferon Response in COVID-19 Pathogenesis. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e00299-20. [PMID: 33980688 PMCID: PMC8142516 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00299-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a rapidly evolving pandemic worldwide with at least 68 million COVID-19-positive cases and a mortality rate of about 2.2%, as of 10 December 2020. About 20% of COVID-19 patients exhibit moderate to severe symptoms. Severe COVID-19 manifests as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with elevated plasma proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10/IP10), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α), and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), with low levels of interferon type I (IFN-I) in the early stage and elevated levels of IFN-I during the advanced stage of COVID-19. Most of the severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients have had preexisting comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases. These conditions are known to perturb the levels of cytokines, chemokines, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), an essential receptor involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry into the host cells. ACE2 downregulation during SARS-CoV-2 infection activates the angiotensin II/angiotensin receptor (AT1R)-mediated hypercytokinemia and hyperinflammatory syndrome. However, several SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including open reading frame 3b (ORF3b), ORF6, ORF7, ORF8, and the nucleocapsid (N) protein, can inhibit IFN type I and II (IFN-I and -II) production. Thus, hyperinflammation, in combination with the lack of IFN responses against SARS-CoV-2 early on during infection, makes the patients succumb rapidly to COVID-19. Therefore, therapeutic approaches involving anti-cytokine/anti-cytokine-signaling and IFN therapy would favor the disease prognosis in COVID-19. This review describes critical host and viral factors underpinning the inflammatory "cytokine storm" induction and IFN antagonism during COVID-19 pathogenesis. Therapeutic approaches to reduce hyperinflammation and their limitations are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santhamani Ramasamy
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI) at New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Selvakumar Subbian
- Public Health Research Institute (PHRI) at New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
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Name JJ, Vasconcelos AR, Souza ACR, Fávaro WJ. Vitamin D, zinc and glutamine: Synergistic action with OncoTherad immunomodulator in interferon signaling and COVID‑19 (Review). Int J Mol Med 2021; 47:11. [PMID: 33448317 PMCID: PMC7834962 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.4844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, it has continued to spread rapidly in numerous countries, while the search for effective therapeutic options persists. Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, are known to suppress and evade the antiviral responses of the host organism mediated by interferon (IFN), a family of cytokines that plays an important role in antiviral defenses associated with innate immunity, and has been used therapeutically for chronic viral diseases and cancer. On the other hand, OncoTherad, a safe and effective immunotherapeutic agent in the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), increases IFN signaling and has been shown to be a promising therapeutic approach for COVID-19 in a case report that described the rapid recovery of a 78-year-old patient with NMIBC with comorbidities. The present review discusses the possible synergistic action of OncoTherad with vitamin D, zinc and glutamine, nutrients that have been shown to facilitate immune responses mediated by IFN signaling, as well as the potential of this combination as a therapeutic option for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- José João Name
- Kilyos Assessoria, Cursos e Palestras (Kilyos Nutrition), São Paulo, SP 01311‑100, Brazil
| | - Andrea Rodrigues Vasconcelos
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP 05508‑000, Brazil
| | | | - Wagner José Fávaro
- Laboratory of Urogenital Carcinogenesis and Immunotherapy, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP 13083‑970, Brazil
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Response to: Letter to the Editor on "Bonafè M, Prattichizzo F, Giuliani A, Storci G, Sabbatinelli J, Olivieri F. Inflamm-aging: Why older men are the most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 complicated outcomes. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev" by Eugenia Quiros-Roldan, Giorgio Biasiotto and Isabella Zanella. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 58:141-143. [PMID: 32718829 PMCID: PMC7368416 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Messina NL, Clarke CJP, Johnstone RW. Constitutive IFNα/β signaling maintains expression of signaling intermediaries for efficient cytokine responses. JAKSTAT 2016; 5:e1173804. [PMID: 27512617 DOI: 10.1080/21623996.2016.1173804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Interferons (IFNs) are a family of immunoregulatory cytokines with important roles in anti-viral and anti-tumor responses. Type I and II IFNs bind distinct receptors and are associated with different stages of the immune response. There is however, considerable crosstalk between these two cytokines with enhancement of IFNγ responses following IFNα/β priming and loss of IFNα/β receptor (IFNAR) resulting in diminished IFNγ responses. In this study, we sought to define the mechanism of crosstalk between the type I and II IFNs. Our previous reports demonstrated reduced expression of the canonically activated transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)1, in cells lacking the IFNAR α chain (IFNAR1). Therefore, we used microarray analysis to determine whether reconstitution of STAT1 in IFNAR1-deficient cells was sufficient to restore IFNγ responses. We identified several biological pathways, including the MHC class I antigen presentation pathway, in which STAT1 reconstitution was able to significantly rescue IFNγ-mediated gene regulation in Ifnar1 (-/-) cells. Notably, we also found that in addition to low basal expression of STAT1, cells lacking the IFNAR1 also had aberrant expression of multiple other transcription factors and signaling intermediaries. The studies described herein demonstrate that basal and regulated expression of signaling intermediaries is a mechanism for crosstalk between cytokines including type I and II IFNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Messina
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Ricky W Johnstone
- Cancer Therapeutics Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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Antiviral activity of Rheum palmatum methanol extract and chrysophanol against Japanese encephalitis virus. Arch Pharm Res 2014; 37:1117-23. [PMID: 24395532 PMCID: PMC7091366 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-013-0325-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Rheum palmatum, Chinese traditional herb, exhibits a great variety of anti-cancer and anti-viruses properties. This study rates antiviral activity of R. palmatum extracts and its components against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in vitro. Methanol extract of R. palmatum contained higher levels of aloe emodin, chrysophanol, rhein, emodin and physcion than water extract. Methanol extract (IC50 = 15.04 μg/ml) exhibited more potent inhibitory effects on JEV plaque reduction than water extract (IC50 = 51.41 μg/ml). Meanwhile, IC50 values determined by plaque reduction assay were 15.82 μg/ml for chrysophanol and 17.39 μg/ml for aloe-emodin, respectively. Virucidal activity of agents correlated with anti-JEV activity, while virucidal IC50 values were 7.58 μg/ml for methanol extract, 17.36 μg/ml for water extract, 0.75 μg/ml for chrysophanol and 0.46 μg/ml for aloe-emodin, respectively. In addition, 10 μg/ml of extract, chrysophanol or aloe emodin caused 90 % inhibition of JEV yields in cells and significantly activated gamma activated sequence-driven promoters. Hence, methanol extract of R. palmatum and chrysophanol with high therapeutic index might be useful for development of antiviral agents against JEV.
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Tumor necrosis factor and interferon: cytokines in harmony. Curr Opin Microbiol 2008; 11:378-83. [PMID: 18595771 PMCID: PMC7108444 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2008.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2008] [Accepted: 05/26/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Individually, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the various interferons frequently display strong antiviral activities. Certain combinations of these cytokines, however, induce a synergistic antiviral state which is distinct from that induced by either one alone. This novel synergistic antiviral state likely occurs through several possible mechanisms, involves multiple signaling pathways, and inhibits a wider range of viruses than the individual cytokines alone. While underappreciated when first discovered, this synergistic phenomenon is proving to be of a much broader scope than initially thought. More work is needed to refine our understanding of this observation and its physiological implications for anti-pathogen responses.
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Serrano P, Johnson MA, Almeida MS, Horst R, Herrmann T, Joseph JS, Neuman BW, Subramanian V, Saikatendu KS, Buchmeier MJ, Stevens RC, Kuhn P, Wüthrich K. Nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the N-terminal domain of nonstructural protein 3 from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. J Virol 2007; 81:12049-60. [PMID: 17728234 PMCID: PMC2168779 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00969-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper describes the structure determination of nsp3a, the N-terminal domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nonstructural protein 3. nsp3a exhibits a ubiquitin-like globular fold of residues 1 to 112 and a flexibly extended glutamic acid-rich domain of residues 113 to 183. In addition to the four beta-strands and two alpha-helices that are common to ubiquitin-like folds, the globular domain of nsp3a contains two short helices representing a feature that has not previously been observed in these proteins. Nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift perturbations showed that these unique structural elements are involved in interactions with single-stranded RNA. Structural similarities with proteins involved in various cell-signaling pathways indicate possible roles of nsp3a in viral infection and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Serrano
- Department of Molecular Biology, MB-44, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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