The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a global pandemic with increasing incidence and mortality rates. Recent evidence based on the cytokine profiles of severe COVID-19 cases suggests an overstimulation of macrophages and monocytes associated with reduced T-cell abundance (lymphopenia) in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 open reading frame 3 a (ORF3a) protein was found to bind to the human HMOX1 protein at a high confidence through high-throughput screening experiments. The HMOX1 pathway can inhibit platelet aggregation, and can have anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties, amongst others, all of which are critical medical conditions observed in COVID-19 patients. Here, we review the potential of modulating the HMOX1-ORF3a nexus to regulate the innate immune response for therapeutic benefits in COVID-19 patients. We also review other potential treatment strategies and suggest novel synthetic and natural compounds that may have the potential for future development in clinic.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, ORF3a, natural compounds, Anti-viral therapy, HMOX1, HMOX1-ORF3a, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, Macrophage, coronavirus, innate immune response, severe COVID-19, Infection, monocyte, lymphopenia, global pandemic, Protein, Patient, pathway, Platelet, incidence, T-cell, mortality rates, Critical, cytokine profile, COVID-19 patients, Evidence, regulate, Potential treatment, Therapeutic benefit, acute respiratory syndrome, Frame, Compound, aggregation, anti-inflammatory properties, recent, inhibit, reduced, experiments, infected with SARS-CoV-2, medical condition, modulating, overstimulation, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19, prevention, target,