Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2 has led to more than 200,000 deaths worldwide. Several studies have now established that the hyperinflammatory response induced by SARS-CoV-2 is a major cause of disease severity and death in infected patients. Macrophages are a population of innate immune cells that sense and respond to microbial threats by producing inflammatory molecules that eliminate pathogens and promote tissue repair. However, a dysregulated macrophage response can be damaging to the host, as is seen in the macrophage activation syndrome induced by severe infections, including in infections with the related virus SARS-CoV. Here we describe the potentially pathological roles of macrophages during SARS-CoV-2 infection and discuss ongoing and prospective therapeutic strategies to modulate macrophage activation in patients with COVID-19.
Keywords
MacrophageInflammationImmunologyPathologicalImmune systemPopulationMedicineInnate immune systemPandemicDiseaseCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)BiologyInfectious disease (medical specialty)Pathology
MeSH Terms
AnimalsBetacoronavirusCOVID-19Coronavirus InfectionsHumansInflammationMacrophage ActivationMacrophagesMonocytesPandemicsPneumoniaViralSARS-CoV-2
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Publication Info
- Year
- 2020
- Type
- review
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 355-362
- Citations
- 2515
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Miriam Mérad,
Jérôme C. Martin
(2020).
Pathological inflammation in patients with COVID-19: a key role for monocytes and macrophages.
Nature reviews. Immunology
, 20
(6)
, 355-362.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-020-0331-4
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41577-020-0331-4
- PMID
- 32376901
- PMCID
- PMC7201395