Cytokine storm and translating IL-6 biology into effective treatments for COVID-19.
10.1007/s11684-023-1044-4
- Author:
Tiantian LI
1
;
Dongsheng WANG
2
;
Haiming WEI
3
;
Xiaoling XU
4
Author Information
1. Department of Geriatric Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
2. Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
3. Institute of Immunology and the CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Science and Medical Center, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
4. Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China. xxlahh08@163.com.
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
COVID-19;
SARS-CoV-2;
cytokine storm;
interleukin-6;
tocilizumab
- MeSH:
Humans;
COVID-19;
Interleukin-6;
Cytokine Release Syndrome;
SARS-CoV-2;
Cytokines;
Biology
- From:
Frontiers of Medicine
2023;17(6):1080-1095
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
As of May 3, 2023, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in more than 760 million confirmed cases and over 6.9 million deaths. Several patients have developed pneumonia, which can deteriorate into acute respiratory distress syndrome. The primary etiology may be attributed to cytokine storm, which is triggered by the excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines and subsequently leads to immune dysregulation. Considering that high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been detected in several highly pathogenic coronavirus-infected diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2002, the Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2012, and COVID-19, the IL-6 pathway has emerged as a key in the pathogenesis of this hyperinflammatory state. Thus, we review the history of cytokine storm and the process of targeting IL-6 signaling to elucidate the pivotal role played by tocilizumab in combating COVID-19.
