The role of IL-6 in coronavirus, especially in COVID-19

Abstract

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects both people and animals and may cause significant respiratory problems, including lung illness: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Swabs taken from the throat and nose of people who have the illness or are suspected of having it have shown this pathogenic virus. When SARS-CoV-2 infects the upper and lower respiratory tracts, it may induce moderate to severe respiratory symptoms, as well as the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 6 (IL-6). COVID-19-induced reduction of IL-6 in an inflammatory state may have a hitherto undiscovered therapeutic impact. Many inflammatory disorders, including viral infections, has been found to be regulated by IL-6. In individuals with COVID-19, one of the primary inflammatory agents that causes inflammatory storm is IL-6. It promotes the inflammatory response of virus infection, including the virus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2, and provides a new diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. In this review article, we highlighted the functions of IL-6 in the coronavirus, especially in COVID-19, showing that IL-6 activation plays an important function in the progression of coronavirus and is a rational therapeutic goal for inflammation aimed at coronavirus.

SARS-CoV-2 superinfection in CD14+ monocytes with latent human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) promotes inflammatory cascade

“…Clinical studies report that IL-6 can be used to predict the severity of COVID-19 disease, with high plasma IL-6 levels being attributed to cytokine storm ( Liu et al, 2020 ). Additionally, high levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were reported in plasma of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV ( Wang et al, 2022 ). Altogether, these differentially expressed activated genes show significant changes in the inflammatory and cytokine pathways.…”

LncRNAs expression profile in a family household cluster of COVID‐19 patients

“…A notable example is IL‐6 signalling pathway, where interaction between IL‐6 and IL‐6R initiates a complex formation with the membrane protein glycoprotein 130 (gp130) and subsequently leads to the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway accompanied by STAT3 activation via phosphorylation. Also, through the PI3K‐Akt pathway, the NF‐κB factor is activated, which, alongside STAT3 activation, promotes immune cell differentiation and the expression of IL‐6 and thus inflammation 35 . Several lncRNAs have been shown to interact and regulate the production of these inflammatory factors, one example being IL‐6 in which case its expression is controlled by different lncRNAs targeting factors involved in either or both NF‐κB and JAK/STAT pathways 36 …”

Relationship between anthropometric and body composition parameters and anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG titers in females vaccinated against COVID-19 according to the heterologous vaccination course: A cohort study

“…As body fat (visceral in particular) produces cytokines (including proinflammatory proteins, such as i.a., interferon-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-12), its excessive amount results in their excessive secretion and increase in the blood, which may lead to “cytokine storm” [ 62 , 78 , 79 ]. Skeletal muscle also plays a pivotal role in the immune response to infection, as it produces anti-inflammatory and immunoprotective substances called myokines that help to alleviate exacerbated inflammation in COVID-19 [ 80 , 81 ].…”