Potential Interplay between Nrf2, TRPA1, and TRPV1 in Nutrients for the Control of COVID-19
Jean Bousquet, Wienczyslawa Czarlewski, Torsten Zuberbier, Joaquim Mullol, Hubert Blain, Jean‐Paul Cristol, Rafael de la Torre, Nieves Pizarro, Vincent Le Moing, Anna Bedbrook, Ioana Agache, Cezmi A. Akdiş, Giorgio Walter Canonica, Álvaro A. Cruz, Alessandro Fiocchi, João Fonseca, Susana Fonseca, Bilun Gemicioğlu, Tari Haahtela, Guido Iaccarino, Juan Carlos Ivancevich, Marek Jutel, Ludger Klimek, Helga Kraxner, Piotr Kuna, Désirée Larenas‐Linnemann, Adrian R. Martineau, Erik Melén, Yoshitaka Okamoto, Nikolaos G. Papadopoulos, Oliver Pfaar, Frederico S. Regateiro, Jacques Reynes, Yves Rolland, Philip W. Rouadi, Bolesław Samoliński, Aziz Sheikh, Sanna Toppila‐Salmi, Arūnas Valiulis, Hak‐Jong Choi, Hyun Ju Kim, Josep M. Antó
Abstract
In this article, we propose that differences in COVID-19 morbidity may be associated with transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) and/or transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) activation as well as desensitization. TRPA1 and TRPV1 induce inflammation and play a key role in the physiology of almost all organs. They may augment sensory or vagal nerve discharges to evoke pain and several symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, nasal obstruction, vomiting, diarrhea, and, at least partly, sudden and severe loss of smell and taste. TRPA1 can be activated by reactive oxygen species and may therefore be up-regulated in COVID-19. TRPA1 and TRPV1 channels can be activated by pungent compounds including many nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2) (Nrf2)-interacting foods leading to channel desensitization. Interactions between Nrf2-associated nutrients and TRPA1/TRPV1 may be partly responsible for the severity of some of the COVID-19 symptoms. The regulation by Nrf2 of TRPA1/TRPV1 is still unclear, but suggested from very limited clinical evidence. In COVID-19, it is proposed that rapid desensitization of TRAP1/TRPV1 by some ingredients in foods could reduce symptom severity and provide new therapeutic strategies.