COVID-19 and the potential of Janus family kinase (JAK) pathway inhibition: A novel treatment strategy

Abstract

Recent evidence proposed that the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients is a consequence of cytokine storm, characterized by increased IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma. Hence, managing the cytokine storm by drugs has been suggested for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19. Several of the proinflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 infection recruit a distinct intracellular signaling pathway mediated by JAKs. Consequently, JAK inhibitors, including baricitinib, pacritinib, ruxolitinib, and tofacitinib, may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for controlling the JAK to treat COVID-19. This study indicates the mechanism of cytokine storm and JAK/STAT pathway in COVID-19 as well as the medications used for JAK/STAT inhibitors.