scholarly journals The Role of Surface in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of COVID-19

COVID ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 465-471
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Retzinger ◽  
Gregory S. Retzinger

Recently, an inverse relationship between incidence of COVID-19 and seasonal aerosolization of mold spores was demonstrated. Analyses of that relationship suggested mold spores compete with SARS-CoV-2 virions for a receptor on the pulmonary epithelial surface. By inference, the operative receptor was proposed to be Toll-like receptor 4, with surface-localized virions being responsible for symptomatology. In this report, the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is further developed, with a focus on a role for surfactant protein D in the process. This developed proposal provides both mechanistic understanding and suggested treatments of COVID-19.

Pneumologie ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 68 (06) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Viereck ◽  
L Knudsen ◽  
JP Schneider ◽  
M Ochs ◽  
T Thum

2013 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 77S
Author(s):  
Ali Navi ◽  
Rebekah Yu ◽  
Xu Shi-Wen ◽  
Sidney Shaw ◽  
George Hamilton ◽  
...  

Zygote ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Júlio Panzera Gonçalves ◽  
Breno Augusto Magalhães ◽  
Paulo Henrique Almeida Campos-Junior

Abstract Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is best known for its role in bacteria-produced lipopolysaccharide recognition. Regarding female reproduction, TLR4 is expressed by murine cumulus cells and participates in ovulation and in cumulus–oocyte complex (COC) expansion, maternal–fetal interaction and preterm labour. Despite these facts, the role of TLR4 in ovarian physiology is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of TLR4 genetic ablation on mice folliculogenesis and female fertility, through analysis of reproductive crosses, ovarian responsiveness and follicular quantification in TLR4−/− (n = 94) and C57BL/6 mice [wild type (WT), n = 102]. TLR4-deficient pairs showed a reduced number of pups per litter (P = 0.037) compared with WT. TLR4−/− mice presented more primordial, primary, secondary and antral follicles (P < 0.001), however there was no difference in estrous cyclicity (P > 0.05). A lower (P = 0.006) number of COC was recovered from TLR4−/− mice oviducts after superovulation, and in heterozygous pairs, TLR4−/− females also showed a reduction in the pregnancy rate and in the number of fetuses per uterus (P = 0.007) when compared with WT. Altogether, these data suggest that TLR4 plays a role in the regulation of murine folliculogenesis and in determining ovarian endowment. TLR4 deficiency may affect ovulation and pregnancy rates, potentially decreasing fertility, therefore the potential side effects of its blockade have to be carefully investigated.


Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hwi Jin Ko ◽  
Dae Young Jung ◽  
Zhexi Ma ◽  
Jason K Kim

Increasing evidence implicates the role of inflammation in diabetes and complications. Macrophages are shown to infiltrate adipose tissue in obesity, and inflammatory cytokines alter glucose metabolism in peripheral organs. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed high-fat diet (HFD; 55% fat by calories) or chow diet for 6 weeks, and heart samples were taken for analysis (n = 5~7). Chronic HFD increased whole body fat mass, measured by 1 H-MRS, by 3-fold, and elevated plasma IL-6 and TNF-α levels by 40%. Diet-induced obesity caused inflammation in heart and increased macrophage-specific CD68 levels by 5-fold (Fig. 1) (* P < 0.05 vs Chow). Diet-induced cardiac inflammation was associated with significant increases in toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and MyD88 levels in heart (Fig. 2). HFD also increased cardiomyocyte SOCS3 levels by more than 3-fold (Fig. 3). Myocardial glucose metabolism was measured using intravenous injection of 2-[ 14 C]deoxyglucose in awake mice (n = 6). Chronic HFD reduced myocardial glucose uptake by 50%, and this was associated with significant reductions in total GLUT4 and GLUT1 protein levels. Further, Thr 172 phosphorylation of AMPK, a critical regulator of energy balance, was markedly reduced in heart following HFD (Fig. 4). These results demonstrate that diet-induced obesity causes macrophage infiltration and inflammation in heart by increasing TLR4 signaling in cardiomyocytes. Similar to the effects of inflammation on peripheral glucose metabolism, diet-induced cardiac inflammation reduced myocardial glucose metabolism by downregulating AMPK and GLUT protein levels. Thus, our findings underscore an important role of inflammation in diabetic heart.


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