Abstract
In this perspective article, we suggest that bacterial quorum-sensing signal molecules (QSSMs) be systematically screened and evaluated for their ability to exert anti-inflammatory activity in the context of COVID-19-associated cytokine storms and other hyper-inflammatory conditions. Rapid and relevant in vitro screening of these and other compounds (natural or synthetic) can be accomplished by a careful choice of assay systems that are relevant to the disease context. Some lines of evidence indicating the utility of using such an approach, its potential benefits and risks during actual usage, as well as avenues for further research, are discussed.
Highlights
The greater clinical severity of a proportion of COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) cases arising from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus originating from Wuhan, China, is attributable to hyper-inflammatory responses
In vitro cytokine assays can be used to evaluate the ability of quorum-sensing signal molecules (QSSMs) to lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines and/or elevate levels of antiinflammatory cytokines
Receptors for bacterial QSSMs exist on human cells that can, in principle, be modulated by QSSMs to induce pro- or anti-inflammatory states
Summary
The greater clinical severity of a proportion of COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) cases arising from infection with the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2) virus originating from Wuhan, China, is attributable to hyper-inflammatory responses. Therapeutic strategies proposed or tested to minimize tissue damage during COVID-19-induced cytokine storms have focused on the administration of drugs (notably steroids) that have a general anti-inflammatory effect or target specific cytokines [1, 3]. One functional class of molecules secreted by prokaryotes are Quorum-Sensing Signal Molecules (QSSMs), whose concentration in the environment serves as a proxy for cell numbers for microbes of a given species or even across species. This is analogous to stipulating a ‘quorum’ wherein collective decisions require the presence and affirmation of a minimum number of individuals to be legally valid, the name. It might be beneficial to examine the immunomodulatory effects of QSSMs in the context of dampening inflammatory responses and determine whether some of these molecules could supplement or substitute for currently used steroids such as dexamethasone that are often accompanied by undesirable side-effects [9]
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