Systematic Network and Meta-analysis on the Antiviral Mechanisms of Probiotics: A Preventive and Treatment Strategy to Mitigate SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Abstract

With the alarming rise of infected cases and deaths, COVID-19 is a pandemic, affecting 220 countries worldwide. Until now, no specific treatment is available against SARS-CoV-2. The causal virus SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects lung cells, leading to respiratory illness ranging in severity from the common cold to deadly pneumonia. This, with comorbidities, worsens the clinical outcome, particularly for immunosuppressed individuals with COVID-19. Interestingly, the commensal gut microbiota has been shown to improve lung infections by modulating the immune system. Therefore, fine-tuning of the gut microbiome with probiotics could be an alternative strategy for boosting immunity and treating COVID-19. Here, we present a systematic biological network and meta-analysis to provide a rationale for the implementation of probiotics in preventing and/or treating COVID-19. We have identified 90 training genes from the literature analysis (according to PRISMA guidelines) and generated an association network concerning the candidate genes linked with COVID-19 and probiotic treatment. The functional modules and pathway enrichment analysis of the association network clearly show that the application of probiotics could have therapeutic effects on ACE2-mediated virus entry, activation of the systemic immune response, nlrp3 -mediated immunomodulatory pathways, immune cell migration resulting in lung tissue damage and cardiovascular difficulties, and altered glucose/lipid metabolic pathways in the disease prognosis. We also demonstrate the potential mechanistic domains as molecular targets for probiotic applications to combat the viral infection. Our study, therefore, offers probiotics-mediated novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 warfare.

Post-COVID-19 acute sarcopenia: physiopathology and management

“…The changing gut microbiota have been implicated in the change of the immune response, and thus might in part be associated with a greater morbidity and possibly mortality due to COVID-19. The support of the gut microbiota with probiotics could therefore improve the immunity and help fighting the SARS-CoV-2 infection [111]. The probiotics and prebiotics have been postulated to be beneficial in the frail older persons, however the conclusive evidence as regards the post COVID-19 older patients is still to be obtained [112].…”

The Role of Dysbiosis in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19 and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

“…They identified 90 genes potentially implicated in COVID-19 probiotics treatment. Moreover, the clearly shown that the application of probiotics could play a pivotal role on ACE2-mediated virus entry, activation of the systemic immune response, immunomodulatory pathways, lung tissue damage, cardiovascular complications, and altered metabolic pathways in the disease outcome (150). There are currently multiple lines of research with probiotics and numerous potential therapeutic indications, however studies with strong scientific evidence of therapeutic benefits are required.…”

Vitamin K in COVID-19—Potential Anti-COVID-19 Properties of Fermented Milk Fortified with Bee Honey as a Natural Source of Vitamin K and Probiotics

“…Such alterations persist even after viral clearance and symptom recovery [38,39]. Samples of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with COVID-19 and community-acquired pneumonia are dominated by bacteria that commonly exist in the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract [40]. In fact, the gut-lung axis has also been implicated in cytokine production that underlies COVID-19 severity and pulmonary damage [40,41].…”

“…Its probiotic content may have implications for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. A meta-analysis involving an association network concerning 90 identified training genes linked with COVID-19 and probiotic treatment reported that probiotics can therapeutically interfere with ACE2-mediated viral invasion, activation of the systemic immune response, Nlrp3-mediated immunomodulatory pathways, immune cell migration that cause pulmonary damage and cardiovascular difficulties, and altered glucose/lipid metabolic pathways in the disease prognosis [40].…”