Open AccessMechanisms of Lung Injury Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Author(s) -
Samsara Upadhya,
Jalees Rehman,
Asrar B. Malik,
Shuibing Chen
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.14
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1548-9213
pISSN - 1548-9221
DOI - 10.1152/physiol.00033.2021
Subject(s) - lung , chemokine , lung infection , immunology , immune system , covid-19 , medicine , cytokine , viral infection , drug development , biology , drug , virus , pathology , pharmacology , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The lung is the major target organ of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes COVID-19. Here, we outline the multistep mechanisms of lung epithelial and endothelial injury induced by SARS-CoV-2: direct viral infection, chemokine/cytokine-mediated damage, and immune cell-mediated lung injury. Finally, we discuss the recent progress in terms of antiviral therapeutics as well as the development of anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches. This review also provides a systematic overview of the models for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection and discusses how an understanding of mechanisms of lung injury will help identify potential targets for future drug development to mitigate lung injury.