Cellular and molecular features of COVID-19 associated ARDS: therapeutic relevance
Gaetano Scaramuzzo, Francesco Nucera, Alessio Asmundo, Roberto Messina, Matilde Mari, Federica Montanaro, Matt D. Johansen, Francesco Monaco, Guido Fadda, Giovanni Tuccari, Nicole G. Hansbro, Philip M. Hansbro, Trevor T. Hansel, Ian M. Adcock, Antonio David, Paul Kirkham, Gaetano Caramori, Carlo Alberto Volta, Savino Spadaro
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can be asymptomatic or cause a disease (COVID-19) characterized by different levels of severity. The main cause of severe COVID-19 and death is represented by acute (or acute on chronic) respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), often requiring hospital admission and ventilator support.The molecular pathogenesis of COVID-19-related ARDS (by now termed c-ARDS) is still poorly understood. In this review we will discuss the genetic susceptibility to COVID-19, the pathogenesis and the local and systemic biomarkers correlated with c-ARDS and the therapeutic options that target the cell signalling pathways of c-ARDS.