Virus infection induced pulmonary fibrosis

J Transl Med. 2021 Dec 7;19(1):496. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-03159-9.

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis is the end stage of a broad range of heterogeneous interstitial lung diseases and more than 200 factors contribute to it. In recent years, the relationship between virus infection and pulmonary fibrosis is getting more and more attention, especially after the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, however, the mechanisms underlying the virus-induced pulmonary fibrosis are not fully understood. Here, we review the relationship between pulmonary fibrosis and several viruses such as Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Murine γ-herpesvirus 68 (MHV-68), Influenza virus, Avian influenza virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV, Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 as well as the mechanisms underlying the virus infection induced pulmonary fibrosis. This may shed new light on the potential targets for anti-fibrotic therapy to treat pulmonary fibrosis induced by viruses including SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: Mechanisms; Potential anti-fibrotic therapy; Pulmonary fibrosis; SARS-CoV-2; Virus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COVID-19*
  • Epstein-Barr Virus Infections*
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis* / etiology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus*
  • Virus Diseases*