How nicotine can inhibit cytokine storm in the lungs and prevent or lessen the severity of COVID-19 infection?

Abstract	Statistical surveys of COVID-19 patients indicate, against all common logic, that people who smoke are less prone to the infection and/or exhibit less severe respiratory symptoms than non-smokers. This suggests that nicotine may have some preventive or modulatory effect on the inflammatory response in the lungs. Because it is known that the response to, and resolution of the SARS-CoV-2 infection depends mainly on the lung macrophages, we discuss the recent scientific findings, which may explain why and how nicotine may modulate lung macrophage response during COVID-19 infection.
Authors	Malgorzata Kloc, Rafik M Ghobrial, Jacek Z Kubiak
Journal	Immunology letters (Immunol Lett) Vol. 224 Pg. 28-29 (08 2020) ISSN: 1879-0542 [Electronic] Netherlands
PMID	32522666 (Publication Type: Letter)
Copyright	Copyright © 2020 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Chemical References	Anti-Inflammatory Agents Chrna7 protein, human Cytokines Nicotinic Agonists Receptors, Nicotinic alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha4 subunit Nicotine
Topics	Administration, Inhalation Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage) Betacoronavirus (drug effects, pathogenicity) COVID-19 Coronavirus Infections (diagnosis, immunology, prevention & control, virology) Cytokine Release Syndrome (diagnosis, immunology, prevention & control, virology) Cytokines (immunology) Host-Pathogen Interactions Humans Lung (drug effects, immunology, virology) Macrophages (drug effects, immunology, virology) Nicotine (administration & dosage) Nicotinic Agonists (administration & dosage) Pandemics (prevention & control) Pneumonia, Viral (diagnosis, immunology, prevention & control, virology) Protective Factors Receptors, Nicotinic (drug effects, immunology) Risk Factors SARS-CoV-2 Severity of Illness Index Smokers alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (agonists, immunology)

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