SARS-CoV-2: From Structure to Pathology, Host Immune Response and Therapeutic Management

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 10; p. 1468
• Main Authors: Mihaescu, Grigore, Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen, Iliescu, Ciprian, Vrancianu, Corneliu Ovidiu, Ditu, Lia-Mara, Marutescu, Luminita Gabriela, Grigore, Raluca, Berteșteanu, Șerban, Constantin, Marian, Gradisteanu Pircalabioru, Gratiela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 24.09.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Aerosols; Amino acids; Autoimmune diseases; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Diabetes mellitus; Disease management; Disease transmission; Domestic animals; Enzymes; Genetic variability; Genomes; Glycoproteins; Homology; Humidity; Immune response; Immune system; Infections; Infectious diseases; inflammation; Ligands; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Molecular modelling; Multiplication; Pandemics; Pathology; Pharmacology; Physical factors; Public health; Respiratory diseases; Review; Risk analysis; Risk factors; RNA viruses; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccine development; Viral diseases; Viral infections; Viruses
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101468

Coronaviruses are large, enveloped viruses with a single-stranded RNA genome, infecting both humans and a wide range of wild and domestic animals. SARS-CoV-2, the agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has 80% sequence homology with SARS-CoV-1 and 96–98% homology with coronaviruses isolated from bats. The spread of infection is favored by prolonged exposure to high densities of aerosols indoors. Current studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is much more stable than other coronaviruses and viral respiratory pathogens. The severe forms of infection are associated with several risk factors, including advanced age, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disease, and other preexisting infectious diseases, all having in common the pre-existence of a pro-inflammatory condition. Consequently, it is essential to understand the relationship between the inflammatory process and the specific immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this review, we present a general characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (origin, sensitivity to chemical and physical factors, multiplication cycle, genetic variability), the molecular mechanisms of COVID-19 pathology, the host immune response and discuss how the inflammatory conditions associated with different diseases could increase the risk of COVID-19. Last, but not least, we briefly review the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, pharmacology, and future approaches toward vaccine development.