Since December 2019, COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus
has spread worldwide pandemic resulting in a large number of infected persons
and a lot of deaths of COVID-19 patients. There is currently no definite
medicine for the treatment of the disease, as well any preventive measures.
Cytokines have been a central topic in research on inflammatory diseases for
more than fifty years since interferon (IFN) was discovered. Recently, this has
gained great importance among immunologists, doctors and even common people in
the pandemic situation of COVID-19.
Primarily, cytokines act as lymphocyte growth factors, as well as
function as pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory molecules and also promote
immune response to an antigen. With the progress of multiplication of viruses
in humans, activation and amplification of host immune response take place,
causing massive release of varieties of cytokines like interleukin (IL)-1,
IL-6, IL-17, etc., and different types of interferons (IFNs), tumour necrosis
factor (TNF) to form cytokine storm. From studies of COVID-19 patients in
hospitals, it has also been noted that uncontrolled inflammation due to
elevated levels of cytokines (cytokine storm) is responsible for causing the
severity of the disease.
This study explores the properties and types of cytokines, their
signalling mechanisms in immunity, and their critical role in the pathogenesis
of COVID-19. Low infection of the virus persists in the upper airway that
causing symptoms similar to seasonal respiratory illness, but with severe
infections virus remains in the lower respiratory tract, leading to lung
injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sometimes death. The
role of cytokine storm in causing the severity of the disease was discussed.
Ongoing research aims to identify biomarkers that can predict patients at risk
of developing a cytokine storm, which may guide timely therapeutic
interventions and improve outcomes.
Author(s) Details
Professor
Satyesh Chandra Roy
Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study for Cell and
Chromosome Research, University of Calcutta, India.
Please see the book here: https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-989371-7-9/CH3
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