Are we fully exploiting type I Interferons in today's fight against COVID-19 pandemic?

• Published in: Cytokine & growth factor reviews 2020-08, Vol.54, p.43-50
• Main Authors: Aricò, Eleonora, Bracci, Laura, Castiello, Luciano, Gessani, Sandra, Belardelli, Filippo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiviral Immune Response; Antiviral therapy; Beta Interferon; Coronavirus; COVID-19; Immunomodulation; Mucosal treatments; SARS-CoV-2; Type I Interferons
• ISSN: 1359-6101; 1879-0305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.010

[Display omitted] •IFN-I, in particular IFN-β, are promising drugs for SARS-CoV2 infection.•Early infection in elderly patients is the best setting to exploit IFN-I immunomodulatory activity.•Caution should be given in using continuous IFN-I treatments at high doses.•Mucosal IFN-I delivery is promising but deserves further clinical investigation.•Attention should be paid to IFN-I treatment in patients with severe COVID-19. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first emerged in late 2019 in China. At the time of writing, its causative agent SARS-CoV-2 has spread worldwide infecting over 9 million individuals and causing more than 460,000 deaths. In the absence of vaccines, we are facing the dramatic challenge of controlling COVID-19 pandemic. Among currently available drugs, type I Interferons (IFN-I) – mainly IFN-α and β –represent ideal candidates given their direct and immune-mediated antiviral effects and the long record of clinical use. However, the best modalities of using these cytokines in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients is a matter of debate. Here, we discuss how we can exploit the current knowledge on IFN-I system to tailor the most promising dosing, timing and route of administration of IFN-I to the disease stage, with the final aim of making these cytokines a valuable therapeutic strategy in today's fight against COVID-19 pandemic.