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Review
. 2021 Apr:93:107364.
doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107364. Epub 2021 Jan 5.

Immunology, immunopathogenesis and immunotherapeutics of COVID-19; an overview

Leila Mohamed Khosroshahi  1 , Mohsen Rokni  1 , Tahmineh Mokhtari  2 , Farshid Noorbakhsh  3
Affiliations
Review

Immunology, immunopathogenesis and immunotherapeutics of COVID-19; an overview

Leila Mohamed Khosroshahi et al. Int Immunopharmacol. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a "public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC). The infection is highly contagious, has a high mortality rate, and its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Pulmonary inflammation with substantial lung damage together with generalized immune dysregulation are major components of COVID-19 pathogenesis. The former component, lung damage, seems to be at least in part a consequence of immune dysregulation. Indeed, studies have revealed that immune alteration is not merely an association, as it might occur in systemic infections, but, very likely, the core pathogenic element of COVID-19. In addition, precise management of immune response in COVID-19, i.e. enhancing anti-viral immunity while inhibiting systemic inflammation, may be key to successful treatment. Herein, we have reviewed current evidence related to different aspects of COVID-19 immunology, including innate and adaptive immune responses against the virus and mechanisms of virus-induced immune dysregulation. Considering that current antiviral therapies are chiefly experimental, strategies to do immunotherapy for the management of disease have also been reviewed. Understanding immunology of COVID-19 is important in developing effective therapies as well as diagnostic, and prophylactic strategies for this disease.

Keywords: COVID-19; Immune response; Immunopathogenesis; Immunotherapy; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Immune response and immune dysregulation in SARS-CoV-2 There are several mechanisms about dysregulation of immune response in COVID-19 patients that might majorly affect the lymphocytes, especially T cells, induce a cytokine storm and induction macrophage activation syndrome in the body, resulting in several immune responses to impair the corresponding organs.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Potential therapeutic approaches against SARS-CoV-2 Immunotherapy is therapeutic option intervention against SARS-CoV-2 and the main methods in this regard such as using IVIG, Convalescent, plasma therapy, mAbs, pAb, and cell therapy have improved clinical outcomes in COVID-19 infected patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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