Interferon-α2b Treatment for COVID-19 Is Associated with Improvements in Lung Abnormalities

Zhou, Qiong; MacArthur, Michael R.; He, Xiaowen; Wei, Xiao-Shan; Zarin, Payam; Hanna, Bola S.; Wang, Zi-Hao; Xuan, Xuenan; Fish, Eleanor N.

doi:10.3390/v13010044

Cited by 31 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…However, it has been reported that inborn errors of type I IFN immunity are associated with severe COVID-19 [ 96 ] since the low type I IFN activity triggers IL6 and NF-α mediated pro-inflammatory responses and cytokine storm [ 97 ]. Recent reports suggest that IFN-α therapy could be a potential management strategy for COVID-19 [ 98 , 99 ]. Therefore, IFN-α treatment for COVID-19 patients with CKDs needs further evaluation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting COVID-19—Comorbidity Pathway Crosstalk-Based Targets and Drugs: Towards Personalized COVID-19 Management

et al. 2021

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It is well established that pre-existing comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic kidney diseases (CKDs), cancers, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased severity and fatality of COVID-19. The increased death from COVID-19 is due to the unavailability of a gold standard therapeutic and, more importantly, the lack of understanding of how the comorbid conditions and COVID-19 interact at the molecular level, so that personalized management strategies can be adopted. Here, using multi-omics data sets and bioinformatics strategy, we identified the pathway crosstalk between COVID-19 and diabetes, hypertension, CVDs, CKDs, and cancers. Further, shared pathways and hub gene-based targets for COVID-19 and its associated specific and combination of comorbid conditions are also predicted towards developing personalized management strategies. The approved drugs for most of these identified targets are also provided towards drug repurposing. Literature supports the involvement of our identified shared pathways in pathogenesis of COVID-19 and development of the specific comorbid condition of interest. Similarly, shared pathways- and hub gene-based targets are also found to have potential implementations in managing COVID-19 patients. However, the identified targets and drugs need further careful evaluation for their repurposing towards personalized treatment of COVID-19 cases having pre-existing specific comorbid conditions we have considered in this analysis. The method applied here may also be helpful in identifying common pathway components and targets in other disease-disease interactions too.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting COVID-19—Comorbidity Pathway Crosstalk-Based Targets and Drugs: Towards Personalized COVID-19 Management

et al. 2021

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“…The mechanism for reduced interferon responses in our present study, where all hamsters were adult male animals, awaits further investigation. Moreover, taken together, the immune profile we have identified together with the respiratory tract pathology suggests hamsters to be an ideal model to explore these mechanisms and test therapeutics such as type I interferons 54,55,76 or interferon lambda 77,78 , both of which have demonstrated effectiveness in treating COVID-19 patients [79][80][81] but more research is needed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Syrian hamster model causes inflammation as well as type I interferon dysregulation in both respiratory and non-respiratory tissues including the heart and kidney

Francis

Goncin

Kroeker

et al. 2021

Preprint

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COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) caused SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection is a disease affecting several organ systems. A model that captures all clinical symptoms of COVID-19 as well as long-haulers disease is needed. We investigated the host responses associated with infection in several major organ systems including the respiratory tract, the heart, and the kidneys after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Syrian hamsters. We found significant increases in inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF) and type II interferons whereas type I interferons were inhibited. Examination of extrapulmonary tissue indicated inflammation in the kidney, liver, and heart which also lacked type I interferon upregulation. Histologically, the heart had evidence of mycarditis and microthrombi while the kidney had tubular inflammation. These results give insight into the multiorgan disease experienced by people with COVID-19 and possibly the prolonged disease in people with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC).

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“…Lung infection in COVID-19 may evolve into systemic involvement. Also, IFNs specially IFN-α2b are capable of preventing lung abnormalities in such patients ( Zhou et al, 2021 ). All of these statements emphasize the role of IFN therapy in severe acute CoVs disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interferon therapy in patients with SARS, MERS, and COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies

Saleki

Yaribash

Banazadeh

et al. 2021

European Journal of Pharmacology

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Concern regarding coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks has stayed relevant to global health in the last decades. Emerging COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel SARS-CoV2, is now a pandemic, bringing a substantial burden to human health. Interferon (IFN), combined with other antivirals and various treatments, has been used to treat and prevent MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV2 infections. We aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of IFN-based treatments and combinational therapy with antivirals, corticosteroids, traditional medicine, and other treatments. Major healthcare databases and grey literature were investigated. A three-stage screening was utilized, and included studies were checked against the protocol eligibility criteria. Risk of bias assessment and data extraction were performed, followed by narrative data synthesis. Fifty-five distinct studies of SARS-CoV2, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV were spotted. Our narrative synthesis showed a possible benefit in the use of IFN. A good quality cohort showed lower CRP levels in Arbidol (ARB) + IFN group vs. IFN only group. Another study reported a significantly shorter chest X-ray (CXR) resolution in IFN-Alfacon-1 + corticosteroid group compared with the corticosteroid only group in SARS-CoV patients. In a COVID-19 trial, total adverse drug events (ADEs) were much lower in the Favipiravir (FPV) + IFN-α group compared with the LPV/RTV arm (P = 0.001). Also, nausea in patients receiving FPV + IFN-α regimen was significantly lower (P = 0.03). Quantitative analysis of mortality did not show a conclusive effect for IFN/RBV treatment in six moderately heterogeneous MERS-CoV studies (log OR=-0.05, 95% CI: (-0.71,0.62), I 2 =44.71%). A meta-analysis of three COVID-19 studies did not show a conclusive nor meaningful relation between receiving IFN and COVID-19 severity (log OR=-0.44, 95% CI: (-1.13,0.25), I 2 =31.42%). A lack of high-quality cohorts and controlled trials was observed. Evidence suggests the potential efficacy of several combination IFN therapies such as lower ADEs, quicker resolution of CXR, or a decrease in inflammatory cytokines; Still, these options must possibly be further explored before being recommended in public guidelines. For all major CoVs, our results may indicate a lack of a definitive effect of IFN treatment on mortality. We recommend such therapeutics be administered with extreme caution until further investigation uncovers high-quality evidence in favor of IFN or combination therapy with IFN.

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Interferon-α2b Treatment for COVID-19 Is Associated with Improvements in Lung Abnormalities

Cited by 31 publications

References 27 publications

Predicting COVID-19—Comorbidity Pathway Crosstalk-Based Targets and Drugs: Towards Personalized COVID-19 Management

Predicting COVID-19—Comorbidity Pathway Crosstalk-Based Targets and Drugs: Towards Personalized COVID-19 Management

SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Syrian hamster model causes inflammation as well as type I interferon dysregulation in both respiratory and non-respiratory tissues including the heart and kidney

Interferon therapy in patients with SARS, MERS, and COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies

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