From SARS to SARS-CoV-2, insights on structure, pathogenicity and immunity aspects of pandemic human coronaviruses

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution Vol. 85; p. 104502
• Main Authors: Kirtipal, Nikhil, Bharadwaj, Shiv, Kang, Sang Gu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Animals; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; COVID-19; COVID-19 infection; Cytokine storm; cytokines; drugs; evolution; Genome, Viral; Human coronaviruses; Humans; immune response; immune system; infection; Interferons; Interleukin; pandemic; Pandemics; pathogenesis; phenotype; Phylogeny; Review; SARS-CoV-2 - chemistry; SARS-CoV-2 - classification; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - pathogenicity; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus - chemistry; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus - classification; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus - genetics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus - pathogenicity; therapeutics; vaccine development; viral genome; Virulence; viruses; COVID-19; Human coronaviruses; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Interferons; Cytokine storm; Interleukin
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104502

Human Coronaviruses (HCoV), periodically emerging across the world, are potential threat to humans such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) – diseases termed as COVID-19. Current SARS-CoV-2 outbreak have fueled ongoing efforts to exploit various viral target proteins for therapy, but strategies aimed at blocking the viral proteins as in drug and vaccine development have largely failed. In fact, evidence has now shown that coronaviruses undergoes rapid recombination to generate new strains of altered virulence; additionally, escaped the host antiviral defense system and target humoral immune system which further results in severe deterioration of the body such as by cytokine storm. This demands the understanding of phenotypic and genotypic classification, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 for the production of potential therapy. In lack of clear clinical evidences for the pathogenesis of COVID-19, comparative analysis of previous pandemic HCoVs associated immunological responses can provide insights into COVID-19 pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize the possible origin and transmission mode of CoVs and the current understanding on the viral genome integrity of known pandemic virus against SARS-CoV-2. We also consider the host immune response and viral evasion based on available clinical evidences which would be helpful to remodel COVID-19 pathogenesis; and hence, development of therapeutics against broad spectrum of coronaviruses. [Display omitted] •Evolution and phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.•ACE2 and TMPRSS2 essentially required by SARS-CoV-2 for host cell entry.•M protein shows protein-protein interactions to form a new viral progeny.•PLpro domain interrelated with IFN regulatory factor 3 and inhibited its activation.•SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV can halt T cell function and induced their apoptosis.