Are superantigens the cause of cytokine storm and viral sepsis in severe COVID‐19? Observations and hypothesis
Valeria Scaglioni, Enrique R. Soriano
Abstract
Right now the world is going through an unprecedented pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus. Recent papers pointed out the fatal outcome in most of the severe cases, in which a cytokine storm has been proven to be the cause of a systemic shock, acute respiratory syndrome, multiorgan failure and consequently death. Several explanations have been proposed trying to explain the pathophysiology of the cytokine storm, but viral proteins with a possible superantigen activity as a cause of immune dysregulation have not been addressed. If this hypothesis is proven, a different treatment approach might change the outcome in severe cases.
Topics & Concepts
Cytokine stormSuperantigenSepsisCytokine release syndromeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)ImmunologyCytokineImmune systemCoronavirusMedicineSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)PandemicSeptic shockShock (circulatory)Toxic shock syndromePathophysiologyBiologyDiseaseImmunotherapyInternal medicineT cellInfectious disease (medical specialty)GeneticsStaphylococcus aureusBacteriaChimeric antigen receptorSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesLong-Term Effects of COVID-19