Role of oxidative stress in the severity of SARS-COV-2 infection

Since the World Health Organization declared SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020, serious efforts have been made to understand the epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, pathology, and clinical evolution of this disease. Oxidative stress (OX-S) has been implicated in the etiologies of many diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. Recent studies suggest that superoxide radicals and the products of lipid peroxidation, such as the electrophilic aldehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), are important mediators of the pathological effects of oxidative stress during microbial and viral infections. Numerous studies have confirmed that viral infections induce inflammatory responses that generate excessive amounts of reactive oxygen species and 4-HNE protein adducts in plasma and in various tissues, including alveolar epithelium and endothelium. In this book chapter, we will highlight and discuss the apparent and plausible relationships between SARS-CoV-2 virulence and oxidative stress/lipid peroxidation, which affect cellular and DNA repair mechanisms and immune response. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is the origin and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 ingenuous?

The inability to identify the source of origin of SARS-CoV-2 even after more than twenty months of its emergence is intriguing and challenges the scientists and the public health personnel alike. Apprehension has been raised in certain quarters that some sort of human interference has taken place in the already dynamic gene pool of coronaviruses, which is a matter of concern. The need to have a scientific audit is paramount to unearth the real narrative about its origin as the precipitous assumption based on reports of human case incidences of infectious respiratory viral diseases having pandemic potential from a specific region is scientifically premature and it does not conclusively confirm the region to be the place of origin of the viral pathogen. Delineation of the source of origin of SARS-CoV-2 is vital for formulating strategies for the prevention of future outbreaks of viral zoonotic diseases if any, development of effective candidate vaccines, and designing target specific drugs. Further, this will put to rest the controversy about the origin and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 and create an ambience for cooperative functioning among the global stakeholders. It is pertinent to have comprehensive scrutiny of the laboratories conducting experimental research on coronaviruses particularly bat and other suspected mammalian beta-coronaviruses to avert such calamitous situations in future. Mitigation of the disastrous effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is a global responsibility and necessitates joint efforts from all stakeholders across the globe. Copyright (c) 2021: Author(s). Published by Advanced Research Publications

Vitamin D supplementation to combat COVID-19: A review

Corona Virus Disease-2019 or COVID-19 is the ongoing global pandemic caused by SARS-COV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2) which affects mostly the respiratory system in humans, producing mild symptoms like fever, dry cough to severe life threatening complications like pneumonia, ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and others, ultimately leading to death. Elder population and people with different co morbidities like hypertension, diabetes, cardio vascular diseases or chronic kidney disease are more susceptible to get infected by this deadly virus. Amidst plenty of explored and unexplored risk factors which exacerbate COVID complications, reports from different European and other countries have identified poor serum concentration of vitamin D (25-hydroxy cholecalciferol <25nmol/L) is one of them. Vitamin D deficiency is found among elderly and black population;in home residents and even in various comorbidities. Besides its well defined role on musculo-skeletal system, vitamin D has prominent effects on host immune response, Renin-angiotensis-System (RAS) and many other extra-skeletal activities- which might serve the link between vitamin D deficiency and fatal outcome of COVID-19. Clinically it is proved that supplementation of this vitamin is beneficial to treat acute respiratory tract infection, tuberculosis, pneumonia or ARDS. Though the therapeutic effect of vitamin D supplementation in COVID-19 is still a subject of further investigations but when vitamin D deficiency is prevalent, then supplementation of vitamin D or consuming rich sources of vitamin D would likely to be beneficial for reducing the risk of the disease or its severity. © 2021, Narendra Publishing House, Delhi, India.