SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology: AHR as a candidate therapeutic target

doi:10.1038/s41422-020-00447-9

. 2021 Jan;31(1):1-2.

doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00447-9.

SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology: AHR as a candidate therapeutic target

Federico Giovannoni¹, Francisco J Quintana^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
² Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. fquintana@rics.bwh.harvard.edu.
³ Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. fquintana@rics.bwh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 33262451
PMCID: PMC7705403
DOI: 10.1038/s41422-020-00447-9

SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology: AHR as a candidate therapeutic target

Federico Giovannoni et al. Cell Res. 2021 Jan.

. 2021 Jan;31(1):1-2.

doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00447-9.

Authors

Federico Giovannoni¹, Francisco J Quintana^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
² Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. fquintana@rics.bwh.harvard.edu.
³ Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. fquintana@rics.bwh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 33262451
PMCID: PMC7705403
DOI: 10.1038/s41422-020-00447-9

No abstract available

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

F.J.Q. is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Kyn Therapeutics.

Figures

**Fig. 1. AHR is a candidate therapeutic target for viral infection.**
AHR activation during viral infection results in the upregulation of IDO/TDO, which convert tryptophan to Kynurenine (Kyn). Kyn activates AHR, leading to formation of an AHR–ligand complex that limits host anti-viral responses mediated by IFN-I and NF-κB, thus promoting viral replication. AHR signaling also induces mucin expression in lung epithelial cells, thickening the blood–air barrier, impairing O₂ diffusion and causing hypoxia. AHR antagonists limit AHR activation, boosting the host anti-viral response and consequently reducing viral replication. AHR antagonism also reduces the expression of mucins, limiting lung pathology during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

Abnormal Airway Mucus Secretion Induced by Virus Infection.
Li Y, Tang XX. Li Y, et al. Front Immunol. 2021 Sep 28;12:701443. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.701443. eCollection 2021. Front Immunol. 2021. PMID: 34650550 Free PMC article. Review.
CYP1B1-AS1 regulates CYP1B1 to promote Coxiella burnetii pathogenesis by inhibiting ROS and host cell death.
Arunima A, Niyakan S, Butler SM, Clark SD, Pinson A, Kwak D, Case EDR, Qian X, de Figueiredo P, van Schaik EJ, Samuel JE. Arunima A, et al. Nat Commun. 2025 Aug 13;16(1):7493. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62762-2. Nat Commun. 2025. PMID: 40796858 Free PMC article.
Hypothesis: Emerging Roles for Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Orchestrating CoV-2-Related Inflammation.
Guarnieri T. Guarnieri T. Cells. 2022 Feb 13;11(4):648. doi: 10.3390/cells11040648. Cells. 2022. PMID: 35203299 Free PMC article. Review.
Potential therapeutic approaches for the early entry of SARS-CoV-2 by interrupting the interaction between the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).
Xiang Y, Wang M, Chen H, Chen L. Xiang Y, et al. Biochem Pharmacol. 2021 Oct;192:114724. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114724. Epub 2021 Aug 8. Biochem Pharmacol. 2021. PMID: 34371003 Free PMC article. Review.
Tryptophan Metabolism 'Hub' Gene Expression Associates with Increased Inflammation and Severe Disease Outcomes in COVID-19 Infection and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Bustamante S, Yau Y, Boys V, Chang J, Paramsothy S, Pudipeddi A, Leong RW, Wasinger VC. Bustamante S, et al. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Nov 26;23(23):14776. doi: 10.3390/ijms232314776. Int J Mol Sci. 2022. PMID: 36499104 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. Huang C, et al. Lancet. 2020;395:497–506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Tobin MJ, et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2020;202:356–360. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202006-2157CP. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Liu Y, et al. Cell Res. 2020 doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00435-z. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. He J, et al. Protein Cell. 2020;11:680–687. doi: 10.1007/s13238-020-00752-4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Bian XW, et al. Natl. Sci. Rev. 2020;7:1414–1418. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa123. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Substances

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Medical
- MedlinePlus Health Information
Miscellaneous
- NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

[1] Huang C, et al. Lancet. 2020;395:497–506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Huang C, et al. Lancet. 2020;395:497–506. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Tobin MJ, et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2020;202:356–360. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202006-2157CP. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Tobin MJ, et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2020;202:356–360. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202006-2157CP. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Liu Y, et al. Cell Res. 2020 doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00435-z. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Liu Y, et al. Cell Res. 2020 doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00435-z. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] He J, et al. Protein Cell. 2020;11:680–687. doi: 10.1007/s13238-020-00752-4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] He J, et al. Protein Cell. 2020;11:680–687. doi: 10.1007/s13238-020-00752-4. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Bian XW, et al. Natl. Sci. Rev. 2020;7:1414–1418. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa123. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Bian XW, et al. Natl. Sci. Rev. 2020;7:1414–1418. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa123. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology: AHR as a candidate therapeutic target

Affiliations

SARS-CoV-2-induced lung pathology: AHR as a candidate therapeutic target

Authors

Affiliations

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Miscellaneous