RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Interferon therapy for COVID-19 and emerging infections: Prospects and concerns
JF Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
JO Cleve Clin J Med
FD Cleveland Clinic
DO 10.3949/ccjm.87a.ccc066
A1 Leonard H. Calabrese
A1 Tiphaine Lenfant
A1 Cassandra Calabrese
YR 2020
UL http://www.ccjm.org/content/early/2020/12/01/ccjm.87a.ccc066.abstract
AB Numerous immunomodulating agents are currently being studied in clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19, including interferon therapies. Interferons are naturally occurring host antiviral proteins upstream of the inflammatory pathway that are released by host cells in response to the presence of viral pathogens. It is known that beta coronaviruses deploy anti-interferon defenses to escape host innate immunity early in the infection course, and thus interferons have become attractive candidates for treatment of COVID-19. Questions surrounding timing, type of interferon, and route of administration all remain unanswered. Here we discuss the role of interferons in host antiviral immunity, and review the current data surrounding use of interferons in COVID-19.