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Arevalo-Romero JA, Chingaté-López SM, Camacho BA, Alméciga-Díaz CJ, Ramirez-Segura CA. Next-generation treatments: Immunotherapy and advanced therapies for COVID-19. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26423. [PMID: 38434363 PMCID: PMC10907543 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in 2019 following prior outbreaks of coronaviruses like SARS and MERS in recent decades, underscoring their high potential of infectivity in humans. Insights from previous outbreaks of SARS and MERS have played a significant role in developing effective strategies to mitigate the global impact of SARS-CoV-2. As of January 7, 2024, there have been 774,075,242 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide. To date, 13.59 billion vaccine doses have been administered, and there have been 7,012,986 documented fatalities (https://www.who.int/) Despite significant progress in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 challenges human defenses, presenting ongoing global challenges. The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 lineages, shaped by mutation and recombination processes, has led to successive waves of infections. This scenario reveals the need for next-generation vaccines as a crucial requirement for ensuring ongoing protection against SARS-CoV-2. This demand calls for formulations that trigger a robust adaptive immune response without leading the acute inflammation linked with the infection. Key mutations detected in the Spike protein, a critical target for neutralizing antibodies and vaccine design -specifically within the Receptor Binding Domain region of Omicron variant lineages (B.1.1.529), currently dominant worldwide, have intensified concerns due to their association with immunity evasion from prior vaccinations and infections. As the world deals with this evolving threat, the narrative extends to the realm of emerging variants, each displaying new mutations with implications that remain largely misunderstood. Notably, the JN.1 Omicron lineage is gaining global prevalence, and early findings suggest it stands among the immune-evading variants, a characteristic attributed to its mutation L455S. Moreover, the detrimental consequences of the novel emergence of SARS-CoV-2 lineages bear a particularly critical impact on immunocompromised individuals and older adults. Immunocompromised individuals face challenges such as suboptimal responses to COVID-19 vaccines, rendering them more susceptible to severe disease. Similarly, older adults have an increased risk of severe disease and the presence of comorbid conditions, find themselves at a heightened vulnerability to develop COVID-19 disease. Thus, recognizing these intricate factors is crucial for effectively tailoring public health strategies to protect these vulnerable populations. In this context, this review aims to describe, analyze, and discuss the current progress of the next-generation treatments encompassing immunotherapeutic approaches and advanced therapies emerging as complements that will offer solutions to counter the disadvantages of the existing options. Preliminary outcomes show that these strategies target the virus and address the immunomodulatory responses associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, the capacity to promote tissue repair has been demonstrated, which can be particularly noteworthy for immunocompromised individuals who stand as vulnerable actors in the global landscape of coronavirus infections. The emerging next-generation treatments possess broader potential, offering protection against a wide range of variants and enhancing the ability to counter the impact of the constant evolution of the virus. Furthermore, advanced therapies are projected as potential treatment alternatives for managing Chronic Post-COVID-19 syndromeand addressing its associated long-term complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Andrea Arevalo-Romero
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia, Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud, IDCBIS, 111611, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
- Instituto de Errores Innatos del Metabolismo, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110231, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Sandra M. Chingaté-López
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia, Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud, IDCBIS, 111611, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
| | - Bernardo Armando Camacho
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia, Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud, IDCBIS, 111611, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
| | - Carlos Javier Alméciga-Díaz
- Instituto de Errores Innatos del Metabolismo, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 110231, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Cesar A. Ramirez-Segura
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Ingeniería Celular y Molecular, Instituto Distrital de Ciencia, Biotecnología e Innovación en Salud, IDCBIS, 111611, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
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Gonzalez Caldito N. Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the central nervous system: a focus on autoimmune disorders. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1213448. [PMID: 37483590 PMCID: PMC10360935 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1213448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a pleiotropic immune cytokine that belongs to the TNF superfamily of receptor ligands. The cytokine exists as either a transmembrane or a soluble molecule, and targets two distinct receptors, TNF-α receptor 1 (TNFR1) and TNF-α receptor 2 (TNFR2), which activate different signaling cascades and downstream genes. TNF-α cellular responses depend on its molecular form, targeted receptor, and concentration levels. TNF-α plays a multifaceted role in normal physiology that is highly relevant to human health and disease. In the central nervous system (CNS), this cytokine regulates homeostatic functions, such as neurogenesis, myelination, blood-brain barrier permeability and synaptic plasticity. However, it can also potentiate neuronal excitotoxicity and CNS inflammation. The pleiotropism of TNF-α and its various roles in the CNS, whether homeostatic or deleterious, only emphasizes the functional complexity of this cytokine. Anti-TNF-α therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in treating various autoimmune inflammatory diseases and has emerged as a significant treatment option for CNS autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recognize that the effects of this therapeutic target are diverse and complex. Contrary to initial expectations, anti-TNF-α therapy has been found to have detrimental effects in multiple sclerosis. This article focuses on describing the various roles, both physiological and pathological, of TNF-α in the CNS. Additionally, it discusses the specific disease processes that are dependent or regulated by TNF-α and the rationale of its use as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Gonzalez Caldito
- Department of Neurology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Dhawan M, Rabaan AA, Alwarthan S, Alhajri M, Halwani MA, Alshengeti A, Najim MA, Alwashmi ASS, Alshehri AA, Alshamrani SA, AlShehail BM, Garout M, Al-Abdulhadi S, Al-Ahmed SH, Thakur N, Verma G. Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) and COVID-19: Unveiling the Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Potentialities with a Special Focus on Long COVID. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030699. [PMID: 36992283 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused havoc all around the world. The causative agent of COVID-19 is the novel form of the coronavirus (CoV) named SARS-CoV-2, which results in immune system disruption, increased inflammation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). T cells have been important components of the immune system, which decide the fate of the COVID-19 disease. Recent studies have reported an important subset of T cells known as regulatory T cells (Tregs), which possess immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory properties and play a crucial role in the prognosis of COVID-19 disease. Recent studies have shown that COVID-19 patients have considerably fewer Tregs than the general population. Such a decrement may have an impact on COVID-19 patients in a number of ways, including diminishing the effect of inflammatory inhibition, creating an inequality in the Treg/Th17 percentage, and raising the chance of respiratory failure. Having fewer Tregs may enhance the likelihood of long COVID development in addition to contributing to the disease's poor prognosis. Additionally, tissue-resident Tregs provide tissue repair in addition to immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory activities, which may aid in the recovery of COVID-19 patients. The severity of the illness is also linked to abnormalities in the Tregs' phenotype, such as reduced expression of FoxP3 and other immunosuppressive cytokines, including IL-10 and TGF-beta. Hence, in this review, we summarize the immunosuppressive mechanisms and their possible roles in the prognosis of COVID-19 disease. Furthermore, the perturbations in Tregs have been associated with disease severity. The roles of Tregs are also explained in the long COVID. This review also discusses the potential therapeutic roles of Tregs in the management of patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Dhawan
- Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India
- Trafford College, Altrincham, Manchester WA14 5PQ, UK
| | - Ali A Rabaan
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan
| | - Sara Alwarthan
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mashael Alhajri
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad A Halwani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha 4781, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amer Alshengeti
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa A Najim
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ameen S S Alwashmi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alshamrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bashayer M AlShehail
- Pharmacy Practice Department, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Garout
- Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh Al-Abdulhadi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Riyadh 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Saleh Office for Medical Genetic and Genetic Counseling Services, The House of Expertise, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Dammam 32411, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shamsah H Al-Ahmed
- Specialty Paediatric Medicine, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif 32654, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nanamika Thakur
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, India
| | - Geetika Verma
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh 160012, India
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Duan C, Ma R, Zeng X, Chen B, Hou D, Liu R, Li X, Liu L, Li T, Huang H. SARS-CoV-2 Achieves Immune Escape by Destroying Mitochondrial Quality: Comprehensive Analysis of the Cellular Landscapes of Lung and Blood Specimens From Patients With COVID-19. Front Immunol 2022; 13:946731. [PMID: 35844544 PMCID: PMC9283956 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.946731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria get caught in the crossfire of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and antiviral immunity. The mitochondria-mediated antiviral immunity represents the host’s first line of defense against viral infection, and the mitochondria are important targets of COVID-19. However, the specific manifestations of mitochondrial damage in patients with COVID-19 have not been systematically clarified. This study comprehensively analyzed one single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset of lung tissue and two bulk RNA-sequencing datasets of blood from COVID-19 patients. We found significant changes in mitochondrion-related gene expression, mitochondrial functions, and related metabolic pathways in patients with COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 first infected the host alveolar epithelial cells, which may have induced excessive mitochondrial fission, inhibited mitochondrial degradation, and destroyed the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). The type II alveolar epithelial cell count decreased and the transformation from type II to type I alveolar epithelial cells was blocked, which exacerbated viral immune escape and replication in COVID-19 patients. Subsequently, alveolar macrophages phagocytized the infected alveolar epithelial cells, which decreased mitochondrial respiratory capacity and activated the ROS–HIF1A pathway in macrophages, thereby aggravating the pro-inflammatory reaction in the lungs. Infected macrophages released large amounts of interferon into the blood, activating mitochondrial IFI27 expression and destroying energy metabolism in immune cells. The plasma differentiation of B cells and lung-blood interaction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) was exacerbated, resulting in a cytokine storm and excessive inflammation. Thus, our findings systematically explain immune escape and excessive inflammation seen during COVID-19 from the perspective of mitochondrial quality imbalance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Duan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Chenyang Duan, ; He Huang,
| | - Ruiyan Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xue Zeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dongyao Hou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruixue Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuehan Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liangming Liu
- Department of Shock and Transfusion, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Shock and Transfusion, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - He Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Chenyang Duan, ; He Huang,
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Alshevskaya A, Zhukova J, Kireev F, Lopatnikova J, Evsegneeva I, Demina D, Nepomniashchikch V, Gladkikh V, Karaulov A, Sennikov S. Redistribution of TNF Receptor 1 and 2 Expression on Immune Cells in Patients with Bronchial Asthma. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111736. [PMID: 35681430 PMCID: PMC9179889 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The co-expression patterns of type 1 and 2 tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α membrane receptors (TNFR1/TNFR2) are associated with the presence, stage, and activity of allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the expression levels and dynamics of TNFRs on immune cells and to assess associations between their expression and severity of bronchial asthma (BA). Methods: Patients with severe (n = 8), moderate (n = 10), and mild (n = 4) BA were enrolled. As a comparison group, data from 46 healthy volunteers (HV) were accessed. Co-expression of TNFR1/2 was evaluated as a percentage of cells and the number of receptors of each type per cell. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify diagnostic biomarkers of BA. Results: More than 90% of the monocytes in patients with mild BA were TNFR1+TNFR2+ but had significantly lower TNFR1 expression density compared with HV (7.82- to 14.08-fold, depending on disease severity). Lower percentages of the TNFR+ B-lymphocytes were observed in combination with significantly lower receptors density in BA compared with HV (2.59- to 11.64-fold for TNFR1 and 1.72- to 3.4-fold for TNFR2, depending on disease severity). The final multivariate model for predicting the presence of BA included the percentage of double-positive CD5+ B-lymphocytes and average number of TNFR1 molecules expressed on cytotoxic naive T-lymphocytes and T-helper cells (R2 = 0.87). Conclusions: The co-expression patterns of TNFRs on immune cells in BA differed significantly compared with HV. The expression differences were associated with disease severity. TNFR1 expression changes were key parameters that discriminated patients with BA from those with HV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Alshevskaya
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Julia Zhukova
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Fedor Kireev
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Julia Lopatnikova
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Irina Evsegneeva
- Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education I.M. Sechenov, First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 101000, Russia; (I.E.); (A.K.)
| | - Daria Demina
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Vera Nepomniashchikch
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
| | - Victor Gladkikh
- Biostatistics and Clinical Trials Center, Novosibirsk 630099, Russia;
| | - Alexander Karaulov
- Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education I.M. Sechenov, First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow 101000, Russia; (I.E.); (A.K.)
| | - Sergey Sennikov
- Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution, Research Institute of Fundamental and Clinical Immunology (RIFCI), Novosibirsk 630099, Russia; (A.A.); (J.Z.); (F.K.); (J.L.); (D.D.); (V.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +7-(383)-2221910
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Chen T, Polak P, Uryasev S. Classification and severity progression measure of COVID-19 patients using pairs of multi-omic factors. J Appl Stat 2022; 50:2473-2503. [PMID: 37529561 PMCID: PMC10388828 DOI: 10.1080/02664763.2022.2064975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Early detection and effective treatment of severe COVID-19 patients remain two major challenges during the current pandemic. Analysis of molecular changes in blood samples of severe patients is one of the promising approaches to this problem. From thousands of proteomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, and transcriptomic biomarkers selected in other research, we identify several pairs of biomarkers that after additional nonlinear spline transformation are highly effective in classifying and predicting severe COVID-19 cases. The performance of these pairs is evaluated in-sample, in a cross-validation exercise, and in an out-of-sample analysis on two independent datasets. We further improve our classifier by identifying complementary pairs using hierarchical clustering. In a result, we achieve 96-98% AUC on the validation data. Our findings can help medical experts to identify small groups of biomarkers that after nonlinear transformation can be used to construct a cost-effective test for patient screening and prediction of severity progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Chen
- Department of Applied Math & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Paweł Polak
- Department of Applied Math & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Stanislav Uryasev
- Department of Applied Math & Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Jiménez D, Torres Arias M. Immunouniverse of SARS-CoV-2. Immunol Med 2022; 45:186-224. [PMID: 35502127 DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2022.2066251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a global health problem that has caused millions of deaths worldwide. The infection can present with multiple clinical features ranging from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients to patients with severe or critical illness that can even lead to death. Although the immune system plays an important role in pathogen control, SARS-CoV-2 can drive dysregulation of this response and trigger severe immunopathology. Exploring the mechanisms of the immune response involved in host defense against SARS-CoV-2 allows us to understand its immunopathogenesis and possibly detect features that can be used as potential therapies to eliminate the virus. The main objective of this review on SARS-CoV-2 is to highlight the interaction between the virus and the immune response. We explore the function and action of the immune system, the expression of molecules at the site of infection that cause hyperinflammation and hypercoagulation disorders, the factors leading to the development of pneumonia and subsequent severe acute respiratory distress syndrome which is the leading cause of death in patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Jiménez
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y Agricultura, Carrera de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Marbel Torres Arias
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y Agricultura, Carrera de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, Pichincha, Ecuador.,Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, CENCINAT, GISAH, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas, Sangolquí, Pichincha, Ecuador
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He X, Zeng XX. Immunotherapy and CRISPR Cas Systems: Potential Cure of COVID-19? Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:951-972. [PMID: 35386853 PMCID: PMC8979261 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s347297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 has plunged the world into a pandemic that affected millions. The continually emerging new variants of concern raise the question as to whether the existing vaccines will continue to provide sufficient protection for individuals from SARS-CoV-2 during natural infection. This narrative review aims to briefly outline various immunotherapeutic options and discuss the potential of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR Cas system technology against COVID-19 treatment as specific cure. As the development of vaccine, convalescent plasma, neutralizing antibodies are based on the understanding of human immune responses against SARS-CoV-2, boosting human body immune responses in case of SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunotherapeutics seem feasible as specific cure against COVID-19 if the present challenges are overcome. In cell based therapeutics, apart from the high costs, risks and side effects, there are technical problems such as the production of sufficient potent immune cells and antibodies under limited time to treat the COVID-19 patients in mild conditions prior to progression into a more severe case. The CRISPR Cas technology could be utilized to refine the specificity and safety of CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 during various stages of the COVID-19 disease progression in infected individuals. Moreover, CRISPR Cas technology are proposed in hypotheses to degrade the viral RNA in order to terminate the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. Thus personalized cocktails of immunotherapeutics and CRISPR Cas systems against COVID-19 as a strategy might prevent further disease progression and circumvent immunity escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong He
- Department of Cardiology, Changzhou Jintan First People’s Hospital, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, 213200, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao Xue Zeng
- Department of Health Management, Centre of General Practice, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, 528000, People’s Republic of China
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