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Eye Diseases Direct Interest to Complement Pathway and Macrophages as Regulators of Inflammation in COVID-19

Martine J Jager1, Johanna M Seddon2

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|December 8, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overlap with those for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Macrophages and complement pathways may drive both AMD and severe COVID-19, influencing disease outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Risk factors for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) overlap with those for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  • Macrophages and the complement pathway are key in AMD pathogenesis and implicated in severe COVID-19.
  • Understanding these shared mechanisms may explain COVID-19's varied clinical course.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the parallels between AMD and COVID-19 pathogenesis.
  • To investigate the role of innate immune mechanisms in severe COVID-19.
  • To propose research directions and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 based on AMD insights.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of risk factors and pathogenic mechanisms in AMD and COVID-19.
  • Review of existing literature on macrophages, complement pathways, and inflammatory responses.
  • Hypothesizing shared etiological pathways.

Main Results:

  • Shared risk factors include behavioral (diet, smoking, BMI) and genetic factors (immune and complement genes).
  • Overactive inflammatory phenotypes in COVID-19 may be linked to these shared pathways.
  • These shared mechanisms could explain the heterogeneity in COVID-19 disease severity and outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Innate immune system components, particularly macrophages and complement, are crucial in both AMD and severe COVID-19.
  • Behavioral and genetic factors influencing these pathways contribute to COVID-19 severity.
  • Further research into these shared mechanisms can inform novel preventive and treatment strategies for COVID-19.

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