Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 25, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Polyfunctionality and Heterogeneity in Immune Responses
Published on: March 8, 2024
The Mechanism behind Influenza Virus Cytokine Storm
Yinuo Gu1, Xu Zuo1, Siyu Zhang1
1Department of Pathogeny Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
Abstract:
Influenza viruses are still a serious threat to human health. Cytokines are essential for cell-to-cell communication and viral clearance in the immune system, but excessive cytokines can cause serious immune pathology. Deaths caused by severe influenza are usually related to cytokine storms. The recent literature has described the mechanism behind the cytokine-storm network and how it can exacerbate host pathological damage. Biological factors such as sex, age, and obesity may cause biological differences between different individuals, which affects cytokine storms induced by the influenza virus. In this review, we summarize the mechanism behind influenza virus cytokine storms and the differences in cytokine storms of different ages and sexes, and in obesity.
Related Concept Videos
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
Leaky Scanning
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
Viral Recombination
Inflammatory Response I: Vascular and Cellular

