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Shedding Light on COVID-19: ADAM17 the Missing Link?
Brittany Schreiber1,2, Ankit Patel1, Ashish Verma1
1Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; and.
Insights
Investigating A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) in COVID-19 reveals its potential role in the inflammatory response and immune evasion. Understanding ADAM17
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health crisis.
- A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) is an ectodomain sheddase involved in ACE2 modulation, inflammation, and immunosurveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role and regulation of ADAM17 in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis.
- To identify potential therapeutic targets related to ADAM17 in COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, medRxiv, and bioRxiv.
- Inclusion of articles on ADAM17 and coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2) published from 2005 to 2020.
- Screening of reference lists and cross-referencing.
Main Results:
- SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase ADAM17 activity, promoting inflammation and impairing viral clearance.
- Severe COVID-19 lung injury is linked to elevated TNF-α and IL-6, T-cell dysfunction, and hypercoagulability.
- Clinical manifestations of severe COVID-19 align with ADAM17-mediated pathway dysregulation.
Conclusions:
- ADAM17 plays a significant role in the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19.
- Elucidating ADAM17's function can reveal new molecular targets for drug development and repurposing in COVID-19 treatment.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly expanding global health crisis. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17), an ectodomain sheddase, is a key component of ACE2 modulation and plays a complex role in inflammation and immunosurveillance.
Areas Of Uncertainty:
Much remains unknown regarding the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19, including how the virus affects ADAM17 expression, activity, and regulation.
Search Strategy:
Three electronic databases (MEDLINE through PubMed, Embase through Ovid, and Google Scholar) were searched to identify articles relevant to ADAM17 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 and 2. Relevant articles published from January 1, 2005, to April 30, 2020, were selected, and reference lists were screened and cross-referenced. We also searched preprint studies on medRxiv and bioRxiv given the rapidly evolving data on COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2.
Therapeutic Opinion:
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 may lead to an increase in ADAM17 sheddase activity contributing to an exuberant macrophage-predominant inflammatory response and diminished immunosurveillance capacity for viral clearance. Emerging data suggest severe lung injury in COVID-19 is associated with higher levels of TNF-α and IL-6, T-cell lymphopenia and exhaustion, hypercoagulability, and a macrophage-predominant immune response. This clinical picture is consistent with dysregulation of many of the molecular pathways in which ADAM17 participates.
Conclusions:
Elucidation of the role of ADAM17 in COVID-19 may identify novel molecular targets for drug development and therapeutic repurposement.
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