Potential role of AIM2 inflammasome in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection

ABSTRACT

SARS‐CoV‐2 is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The disease presents different degrees of severity related to the antiviral response of the host. According to clinical manifestations, patients could show mild, moderate and severe COVID‐19. Regarding immunological aspects, an increased interferon (IFN) response in COVID‐19 patients with mild and moderate symptoms were observed;however, in severe COVID‐19, IFN response is decreased. Patients with severe COVID‐19 display a hyperinflammatory disorder that leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Interestingly, the expression and activation of AIM2, a receptor induced by IFN, play an important role in the onset of antiviral response. In this review, we discuss the possible role of AIM2 during SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. We summarize the studies reporting the expression and activity of proteins involved upstream and downstream of AIM2‐inflammasome activation, such as IFN, ASC, Caspase‐1, IL‐1β, IL‐18, free‐dsDNA, IFI16, as well as SARS‐CoV‐2 viral load, cell death in groups of COVID‐19 patients with different clinical outcomes to infer the possible contribution of AIM2 in antiviral response of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.