The type I interferon response in COVID-19: implications for treatment

Nat Rev Immunol. 2020 Oct;20(10):585-586. doi: 10.1038/s41577-020-00429-3.

Abstract

Despite early reports to the contrary, there is increasing evidence that patients with severe COVID-19 have a robust type I interferon response, which contrasts with the delayed, possibly suppressed, interferon response seen early in infection. A robust type I interferon response could exacerbate hyperinflammation in the progression to severe COVID-19 through diverse mechanisms. Further understanding of the roles of type I interferon at different stages of infection and in patients with mild versus severe COVID-19 will provide insights for the therapeutic use of interferon administration or JAK inhibitors in patients with COVID-19.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04385095 NCT04343976 NCT04354259 NCT04388709 NCT04344600.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Azetidines / therapeutic use*
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects
  • Immunity, Humoral / drug effects
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / genetics
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / immunology
  • Interferon-alpha / genetics
  • Interferon-alpha / immunology
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Interferon-beta / genetics
  • Interferon-beta / immunology
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use*
  • Interferons / genetics
  • Interferons / immunology
  • Interferons / therapeutic use*
  • Interleukin-1 / genetics
  • Interleukin-1 / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Janus Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Janus Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Janus Kinase 1 / immunology
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / immunology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Purines
  • Pyrazoles
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / immunology

Substances

  • Azetidines
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-6
  • Purines
  • Pyrazoles
  • Sulfonamides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • interferon-lambda, human
  • Interferon-beta
  • Interferons
  • JAK1 protein, human
  • Janus Kinase 1
  • baricitinib

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04385095
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04343976
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04354259
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04388709
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04344600