Abstract

Influenza viruses are one of the leading causes of respiratory tract infections in humans and their newly emerging and re-emerging virus strains are responsible for seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics, leading to a serious threat to global public health systems. The poor clinical outcome and pathogenesis during influenza virus infection in humans and animal models are often associated with elevated proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, which is also known as hypercytokinemia or “cytokine storm”, that precedes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and often leads to death. Although we still do not fully understand the complex nature of cytokine storms, the use of immunomodulatory drugs is a promising approach for treating hypercytokinemia induced by an acute viral infection, including highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This review aims to discuss the immune responses and cytokine storm pathology induced by influenza virus infection and also summarize alternative experimental strategies for treating hypercytokinemia caused by influenza virus.

摘要

流感病毒是人类呼吸道感染的主要原因之一，其新出现和重新出现的病毒株是季节性流行病和偶尔大流行的原因，对全球公共卫生系统造成严重威胁。人类和动物模型中流感病毒感染期间的不良临床结果和发病机制通常与促炎细胞因子和趋化因子产生升高有关，这也称为高细胞因子血症或“细胞因子风暴”，在急性呼吸窘迫综合征 (ARDS) 之前并经常导致至死。尽管我们仍然不完全了解细胞因子风暴的复杂性，但使用免疫调节药物是治疗由急性病毒感染引起的高细胞因子血症的一种有前途的方法，包括高致病性禽流感病毒感染和 2019 年冠状病毒病 (COVID-19)。本综述旨在讨论流感病毒感染引起的免疫反应和细胞因子风暴病理学，并总结治疗流感病毒引起的高细胞因子血症的替代实验策略。