COVID-19 and cancer: start the resolution!

• Main Authors: Barksdale, C. (Author), Kipper, F.C (Author), Panigrahy, D. (Author), Serhan, C.N (Author), Subbian, S. (Author), Tripathy, S. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 2022
• Subjects: antiinflammatory activity; antithrombotic activity; antiviral activity; antiviral therapy; autacoid; cancer control; cancer therapy; controlled study; coronavirus disease 2019; COVID-19; cytokine; cytokine production; cytokine release syndrome; Cytokine Release Syndrome; cytokine storm; Cytokine storm; endogenous variable; enzyme synthesis; human; human cell; Humans; hyperinflammation; icosanoid; immunopathology; infection control; inflammation; Inflammation; malignant neoplasm; neoplasm; Neoplasms; nonhuman; Note; pandemic; Pandemics; Resolution of inflammation; SARS-CoV-2; specialized pro resolving mediator; transcription factor; unclassified drug
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher

 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been an ongoing pandemic causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The “cytokine storm” is a critical driving force in severe COVID-19 cases, leading to hyperinflammation, multi-system organ failure, and death. A paradigm shift is emerging in our understanding of the resolution of inflammation from a passive course to an active biochemical process driven by endogenous specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), such as resolvins, protectins, lipoxins, and maresins. SPMs stimulate macrophage-mediated debris clearance and counter pro-inflammatory cytokine production, a process collectively termed as the “resolution of inflammation.” Hyperinflammation is not unique to COVID-19 and also occurs in neoplastic conditions, putting individuals with underlying health conditions such as cancer at elevated risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite approaches to block systemic inflammation, there are no current therapies designed to stimulate the resolution of inflammation in patients with COVID-19 or cancer. A non-immunosuppressive therapeutic approach that reduces the cytokine storm in patients with COVID-19 and cancer is urgently needed. SPMs are potent immunoresolvent and organ-protective lipid autacoids that stimulate the resolution of inflammation, facilitate clearance of infections, reduce thrombus burden, and promote a return to tissue homeostasis. Targeting endogenous lipid mediators, such as SPMs, offers an entirely novel approach to control SARS-CoV-2 infection and cancer by increasing the body’s natural reserve of pro-resolving mediators without overt toxicity or immunosuppression. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.