The study shows that a mechanism known as a neutrophil extracellular trap is involved in the exacerbated inflammatory response of COVID, paving the way to new therapeutic approaches
By Agência FAPESP
In celebration of its 125th anniversary, the Journal of Experimental Medicine released a special collection of recently published articles with some of the most relevant advances in the field of immunology.
As the cover feature, the journal chose a Brazilian study developed at the Center for Research on Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), a Center for Research, Innovation, and Diffusion (CEPID) of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) based on the USP Ribeirão Preto Medical School (FMRP).
In the article, entitled SARS-CoV-2-triggered neutrophil extracellular traps mediate COVID-19 pathology, the group led by professor Fernando de Queiroz Cunha showed that an immunological mechanism known as a neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) is involved in the exacerbated inflammatory response that affects patients with the severe form of COVID-19. The discovery paves the way to new therapeutic approaches, including the repositioning of a drug used nowadays against cystic fibrosis (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/33435/).
The article was also included in another special collection released by the journal entitled “COVID-19: from basic science to therapeutics“, which gathers the latest discoveries about the physiopathology of COVID-19, therapeutic targets, and neutralizing antibodies.
“The fact that our work is featured in two different fascicles of a highly reputable journal in the biomedical field is an unequivocal demonstration of the quality of the science that we do at the Ribeirão Preto campus of USP – in particular at the CRID, which is funded by FAPESP. The quality of the work is a consequence of the scientific competence associated with the dedication of all members of the task force involved in investigating the immunopathology of COVID-19 at FMRP-USP”, states Cunha.
The collection dedicated to COVID-19 also brings another study developed by scientists connected to the CRID: Inflammasomes are activated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with COVID-19 severity in patients.
The work, led by professor Dario Zamboni, describes the participation of an immunological mechanism known as inflammasome in the activation of the inflammatory process, which may cause damage to various organs and even lead to death patients with the severe form of COVID-19 (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/34680/).
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