The powerful immune system against powerful COVID-19: A hypothesis

Med Hypotheses. 2020 Jul:140:109762. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109762. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Abstract

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Since December 2019, the world has experienced an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 have been reported but the factors affecting the immune system against COVID-19 have not been well described. In this article, we provide a novel hypothesis to describe how an increase in cellular adenosine triphosphate (c-ATP) can potentially improve the efficiency of innate and adaptive immune systems to either prevent or fight off COVID-19.

Keywords: ATP; COVID-19; Immune dysfunction.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / immunology*
  • Aged
  • Apoptosis
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Comorbidity
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immune System*
  • Interferons / immunology
  • Male
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology*
  • Prognosis
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sex Factors
  • Smoking
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / complications

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Interferons