SARS‐CoV‐2 modulation of RIG‐I‐MAVS signaling: Potential mechanisms of impairment on host antiviral immunity and therapeutic approaches

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a global infectious disease aroused by RNA virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Patients may suffer from severe respiratory failure or even die, posing a huge challenge to global public health. Retinoic acid‐inducible gene I (RIG‐I) is one of the major pattern recognition receptors, function to recognize RNA viruses and mediate the innate immune response. RIG‐1 and melanoma differentiation‐associated gene 5 contain an N‐terminal caspase recruitment domain that is activated upon detection of viral RNA in the cytoplasm of virus‐infected cells. Activated RIG‐I and mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) protein trigger a series of corresponding immune responses such as the production of type I interferon against viral infection. In this review, we are summarizing the role of the structural, nonstructural, and accessory proteins from SARS‐CoV‐2 on the RIG‐I‐MAVS pathway, and exploring the potential mechanism how SARS‐CoV‐2 could evade the host antiviral response. We then proposed that modulation of the RIG‐I‐MAVS signaling pathway might be a novel and effective therapeutic strategy to against COVID‐19 as well as the constantly mutating coronavirus. The retinoic acid‐inducible gene I mitochondrial antiviral signaling (RIG‐I‐MAVS) axis is designated as a major signaling pathway in the innate immune response for RNA viruses. This review summarized the role of various proteins derived from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) on the RIG‐I‐MAVS pathway and explored the underlying mechanism of SARS‐CoV‐2 to escape the host antiviral response. Regulation of RIG‐I‐MAVS pathway might be a potentially therapeutic strategy to boost immunity against COVID‐19.

Anxiety and depression in the post-pandemic era: concerns about viral mutation and re-outbreak.

BACKGROUND: The 2020 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been raging for more than 20 months, putting significant strain on public health systems around the world. Despite the fact that the pandemic has been effectively managed in certain countries, regional outbreaks and viral mutations continue to pose a threat to people's lives. The likelihood of post-pandemic changes in people's psychological situations warrants more investigation. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted in the context of another outbreak in Zhangjiajie, China, respondents (infected patients, healthy population) were required to complete self-administered questions and standardized questionnaires, including the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ). MEASURES: We conducted an anonymous questionnaire survey of infected patients (excluding critically ill patients) in the confirmed COVID-19 ward of Zhangjiajie City People's Hospital's East Hospital from August 14 to 24, 2021, and used convenience sampling to survey medical staff and the general public to assess the psychological reactions of different populations during the delta variant outbreak pandemic. Differences in anxiety and depression severity were compared between groups, with logistic regression models constructed to explore potential factors associated with scoring clinical significant levels of depression and/or anxiety. RESULTS: There is no significant difference (p value = 0.228) between anxiety and depression in patients (n = 53), general public (n = 97), medical personnel (n = 103), and support workers (n = 65). Females reported higher scores on the GAD-7 and the BIPQ, reduced communication with family and friends appeared to be a risk factor for clinically significant anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in anxiety and depression across populations explored in this study, but females had higher anxiety and illness perception than males, and effective communication may help improve mental health.

Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Among Patients, Their Relatives and Healthy Residents in Zhangjiajie.

Introduction: In July 2021, Zhangjiajie City became the new epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Aside from the physical manifestations of COVID-19, patients are also victims of severe social stigmatization. Stigma affects not only COVID-19 patients or survivors, but also individuals associated with them. This study aims to describe and assess the COVID-19-related stigma between patients, their relatives, and healthy local residents. Methods: The study included 43 COVID-19 patients, 68 relatives, and 75 healthy residents from Zhangjiajie. Demographic data was collected, including gender, age, marital status, and educational level. Stigma attitudes toward COVID-19 were measured using the Stigma Scale and Social Distance Scale. Frequencies and percentages were described for each item of the scales, and differences among the three groups were examined using the chi-square test. Results: With regards to personal and perceived stigma, most participants agreed that patients with COVID-19 "could snap out of the problem" and that "they were dangerous." For social distance, over 30% of participants from the three groups agreed with the item "unwillingness to marry into the family of someone with COVID-19." In all groups, there were significant statistical differences in the belief that "the problem is not a real medical illness" and the desire to "spend the evening socializing." Conclusion: Although the outbreak was well-contained in Zhangjiajie, stigmatizing attitudes toward COVID-19 and desire for social distance to such patients were common among patients, their relatives and healthy local residents. Our study's results suggest that public education, anti-stigma interventions, and policies are necessary for people living in Zhangjiajie in order to effectively curtail the spread of COVID-19 and provide a useful strategy for a tourist city like Zhangjiajie to recover sooner from economic decline.