Hyaluronan (HA), a massive extracellular matrix (ECM) component, has a central regulatory role in inflammation. In fact, HA matrices (mass length and distribution) are increasingly considered as a barometer of inflammation. Moreover, inflamed airways are remarkably rich with hyaluronan matrices and are been associated with various inflammatory diseases including cystic fibrosis, influenza, sepsis, and more recently COVID-19. COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. People infected with the virus reported a wide range of disease manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness. Critically ill COVID-19 patient cases are frequently complicated by development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which typically leads to poor outcomes with high mortality rate. In general, ARDS is characterized by poor oxygenation accompanied with severe lung inflammation and damage, and has been suggested to be linked to an accumulate of HA within the airways. Here, we provide a succinct overview of known inflammatory mechanisms regulated by HA in general, and those both observed and postulated in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract