The role of dendritic cells in COVID-19 infection

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023 Dec;12(1):2195019. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2195019.

Abstract

The persistent pandemic of coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) currently poses a major infectious threat to public health around the world. COVID-19 is an infectious disease characterized by strong induction of inflammatory cytokines, progressive lung inflammation, and potential multiple organs dysfunction. SARS-CoV-2 infection is closely related to the innate immune system and adaptive immune system. Dendritic cells (DCs), as a "bridge" connecting innate immunity and adaptive immunity, play many important roles in viral diseases. In this review, we will pay special attention to the possible mechanism of dendritic cells in human viral transmission and clinical progression of diseases, as well as the reduction and dysfunction of DCs in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, so as to understand the mechanism and immunological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; dendritic cell; immunopathology; viral infection.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Cytokines
  • Dendritic Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Cytokines

Grants and funding

This work was supported by R&D Program of Guangzhou Laboratory, grant no. SRPG22-006, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2020M682419), HUST Academic Frontier Youth Team (2018QYTD10), and Medjaden Academy & Research Foundation for Young Scientists (MJR20221009, MJR20221030).