The anti-viral facet of anti-rheumatic drugs: Lessons from COVID-19.

Abstract

The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has posed the world at a pandemic risk. Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which causes pneumonia, requires intensive care unit hospitalization in about 10% of cases and can lead to a fatal outcome. Several efforts are currently made to find a treatment for COVID-19 patients. So far, several anti-viral and immunosuppressive or immunomodulating drugs have demonstrated some efficacy on COVID-19 both in vitro and in animal models as well as in cases series. In COVID-19 patients a pro-inflammatory status with high levels of interleukin (IL)-1B, IL-1 receptor (R)A and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has been demonstrated. Moreover, high levels of IL-6 and TNF-α have been observed in patients requiring intensive-care-unit hospitalization. This provided rationale for the use of anti-rheumatic drugs as potential treatments for this severe viral infection. Other agents, such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine might have a direct anti-viral effect. The anti-viral aspect of immunosuppressants towards a variety of viruses has been known since long time and it is herein discussed in the view of searching for a potential treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

• Authors: Carlo Perricone, Paola Triggianese, Elena Bartoloni, Giacomo Cafaro, Angelo F Bonifacio, Roberto Bursi, Roberto Perricone, Roberto Gerli
• Journal: Journal of autoimmunity (J Autoimmun) Vol. 111 Pg. 102468 (07 2020) ISSN: 1095-9157 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32317220 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antirheumatic Agents
• Antiviral Agents
• Cytokines
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Chloroquine
• tocilizumab

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (therapeutic use)
• Antirheumatic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Betacoronavirus (drug effects)
• COVID-19
• Chloroquine (therapeutic use)
• Coronavirus Infections (drug therapy, pathology)
• Cytokines (antagonists & inhibitors, blood)
• Humans
• Hydroxychloroquine (therapeutic use)
• Immunomodulation (drug effects)
• Immunosuppressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Pandemics
• Pneumonia, Viral (drug therapy, pathology)
• SARS-CoV-2