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Review
. 2022 Jan 12:12:808797.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.808797. eCollection 2021.

The Role of Interleukin-8 in Lung Inflammation and Injury: Implications for the Management of COVID-19 and Hyperinflammatory Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Maria Candida Cesta  1 , Mara Zippoli  2 , Carolina Marsiglia  1 , Elizabeth Marie Gavioli  3 , Flavio Mantelli  1 , Marcello Allegretti  1 , Robert A Balk  4
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Interleukin-8 in Lung Inflammation and Injury: Implications for the Management of COVID-19 and Hyperinflammatory Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Maria Candida Cesta et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) has resulted in the global spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and an increase in complications including Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Due to the lack of therapeutic options for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, recent attention has focused on differentiating hyper- and hypo-inflammatory phenotypes of ARDS to help define effective therapeutic strategies. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a role in neutrophil activation and has been identified within the pathogenesis and progression of this disease. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of IL-8 as a biomarker and prognostic factor in modulating the hyperinflammatory response in ARDS. The crucial role of IL-8 in lung inflammation and disease pathogenesis might suggest IL-8 as a possible new therapeutic target to efficiently modulate the hyperinflammatory response in ARDS.

Keywords: ARDS; COVID-19; CXCR1/2; Interleukin 8 (IL-8); NETs; cytokine storm; neutrophils.

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Conflict of interest statement

RB has received honoraria from Dompé U.S. Inc. MC, MZ, CM, FM, and MA are full-time employees of Dompé farmaceutici S.p.A. EG is a full-time employee of Dompé U.S., Inc.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The potential role of IL-8 and IL-8 inhibitors in the recruitment, infiltration and activation of neutrophils following SARS-CoV-2 infection and cytokine storm development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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