Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A single-stranded RNA virus from a β-Coronaviridae family causes acute clinical manifestations. Its high death rate and severe clinical symptoms have turned it into the most significant challenge worldwide. Up until now, several effective COVID-19 vaccines have been designed and marketed, but our data on specialized therapeutic drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 is still limited. In order to synthesis virus particles, SARS-CoV-2 uses host metabolic pathways such as phosphoinositide3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also known as AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR is involved in multiple biological processes. Over-activation of the mTOR pathway improves viral replication, which makes it a possible target in COVID-19 therapy. Clinical data shows the hyperactivation of the mTOR pathway in lung tissues during respiratory viral infections. However, the exact impact of mTOR pathway inhibitors on the COVID-19 severity and death rate is yet to be thoroughly investigated. There are several mTOR pathway inhibitors. Rapamycin is the most famous inhibitor of mTORC1 among all. Studies on other respiratory viruses suggest that the therapeutic inhibitors of the mTOR pathway, especially rapamycin, can be a potential approach to anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy. Using therapeutic methods that inhibit harmful immune responses can open a new chapter in treating severe COVID-19 disease. We highlighted the potential contribution of PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors in the treatment of COVID-19.

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Coronary artery disease (CAD) due to atherosclerosis is one of the important reasons for death worldwide. Recent evidence has suggested the essential role of inflammation in the progression of atherosclerosis. Interleukin (IL)-37 is a critical anti-inflammatory member of the IL-1 family which regulates the inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of IL-37 in patients with CAD compared with the control group and its correlation with oxidative stress, cholesterol homeostasis, and inflammation in patients with CAD. A total of 42 patients with CAD and 42 sex-matched and age- matched controls who underwent coronary angiography were included in this study. The serum levels of IL-37 were evaluated via ELISA. Serum levels of biochemical risk factors were determined by enzymatic methods. Serum levels of IL-37 in the CAD group subjects were significantly lower than in the control group and IL-37 was significantly increased in men with CAD than in women with CAD. IL-37 significantly had an inverse correlation with IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-32, high-sensitivity C reactive protein, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and malondialdehyde. Also, IL-37 had a significantly positive correlation with ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. In addition, IL-37 has positively correlated with ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 and G1 gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum levels of the FRAP. A receiver operating characteristic test displayed that IL-37 level ratios were a relatively significant CAD predictor. Our results indicated that decreased serum levels of IL-37 in patients with CAD and its relationship with inflammatory cytokines and reverse cholesterol transport genes are more likely to be associated in the inflammatory process with disease pathology.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by atherosclerosis and arteries become clogged due to plaque formation, fat accumulation, and various sorts of immune cells. IL-32 is a new proinflammatory cytokine, which enhances inflammation through inducing different inflammatory cytokines. The purpose of current research was to assess IL-32 serum levels in coronary artery disease subjects and its relationship with serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α. Forty-two subjects diagnosed with CAD and thirty-nine control subjects were enrolled in the research. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-32 were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IL-32, TNF-α, and IL-6 serum levels were significantly higher by 2.7, 3.48, and 3.2-fold in the CAD subjects than in control subjects, respectively. Moreover, no significant difference was found in TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-32 serum levels with the clogged arteries number in the CAD group. TNF-α and IL-32 serum levels in the CAD subjects with cardiac arterial stenosis in one major vessel were significantly increased than CAD subjects with cardiac arterial stenosis in more than one major vessels. ROC curve analysis revealed that serum levels of IL-32, TNF-α, and IL-6 showed good abilities in predicting CAD. Also, Multiple logistic regression analyses suggested that TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-32, serum levels of LDL and ox-LDL were independently related to the presence of CAD, while HDL serum levels were not. TNF-α, IL-32, and IL-6 showed an increase in CAD group and serum levels of these cytokines showed good abilities in predicting CAD. Our data suggested the involvement of TNF-α and IL-32 in the early stage of CAD.