Human Coronaviruses: Counteracting the Damage by Storm.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses (hCoVs) – SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 – have caused severe outbreaks and a pandemic.
• Despite progress, the understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 pathogenesis, particularly immune responses, remains incomplete.
• These viruses share clinical and immunopathological similarities, especially concerning severe disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the overlapping aspects of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.
• To discuss immune dysregulation mechanisms including interferon (IFN) inhibition, antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs).
• To explore potential therapeutic strategies for highly pathogenic hCoV infections.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2.
• Analysis of immune response pathways and their dysregulation.
• Discussion of current and potential treatment approaches.

Main Results:

• Highly pathogenic hCoVs exhibit shared risk factors and immunopathology leading to severe disease.
• Immune dysregulation, including IFN inhibition, ADE, and lncRNAs, may contribute to cytokine storms.
• Potential treatments include T-cell vaccines, rapamycin for enhanced vaccine response, and stapled peptides as antivirals.

Conclusions:

• Understanding shared immunopathological mechanisms is crucial for combating highly pathogenic hCoVs.
• Targeting immune dysregulation and exploring novel therapeutics like T-cell vaccines and antiviral peptides are promising avenues.
• Further research into these areas could lead to more effective treatments and prevention strategies for hCoV-induced diseases.