A nicotinic hypothesis for Covid-19 withpreventive and therapeutic implications
Jean‐Pierre Changeux, Zahir Amoura, F.A. Rey, Makoto Miyara
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 epidemics raises a considerable issue of public health at the planetary scale. There is a pressing urgency to find treatments based upon currently available scientific knowledge. Therefore, we tentatively propose a hypothesis which hopefully might ultimately help saving lives. Based on the current scientific literature and on new epidemiological data which reveal that current smoking status appears to be a protective factor against the infection by SARS-CoV-2 [1], we hypothesize that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) plays a key role in the pathophysiology of Covid-19 infection and might represent a target for the prevention and control of Covid-19 infection.
Topics & Concepts
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Public healthSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Epidemiology2019-20 coronavirus outbreakNicotinic acetylcholine receptorNicotinic agonistMedicineIntensive care medicineEnvironmental healthPsychologyDiseaseVirologyReceptorInfectious disease (medical specialty)PathologyOutbreakInternal medicineNicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors StudySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchVagus Nerve Stimulation Research