Harnessing inflammation resolving-based therapeutic agents to treat pulmonary viral infections: What can the future offer to COVID-19?

ABSTRACT

Inflammation is generally accepted as a component of the host defence system and a protective response in the context of infectious diseases. However, altered inflammatory responses can contribute to disease in infected individuals. Many endogenous mediators that drive the resolution of inflammation are now known. Overall, mediators of resolution tend to decrease inflammatory responses and provide normal or greater ability of the host to deal with infection. In the lung, it seems that pro-resolution molecules, or strategies that promote their increase, tend to suppress inflammation and lung injury and facilitate control of bacterial or viral burden. Here, we argue that the demonstrated anti-inflammatory, pro-resolving, anti-thrombogenic and anti-microbial effects of such endogenous mediators of resolution may be useful in the treatment of the late stages of the disease in patients with COVID-19.