Leveraging publicly available coronavirus data to identify new therapeutic targets for COVID-19

Many important questions remain regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the viral pathogen responsible for COVID-19. These questions include the mechanisms explaining the high percentage of asymptomatic but highly infectious individuals, the wide variability in disease susceptibility, and the mechanisms of long-lasting debilitating effects. Bioinformatic analysis of four coronavirus datasets representing previous outbreaks (SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV), as well as SARS-CoV-2, revealed evidence of diverse host factors that appear to be coopted to facilitate virus-induced suppression of interferon-induced innate immunity, promotion of viral replication and subversion and/or evasion of antiviral immune surveillance. These host factors merit further study given their postulated roles in COVID-19-induced loss of smell and brain, heart, vascular, lung, liver, and gut dysfunction.

Automated summary

There are many unanswered questions regarding SARS-CoV-2, including the high percentage of asymptomatic but highly infectious individuals, wide variability in disease susceptibility, and long-lasting debilitating effects. Bioinformatic analysis has identified diverse host factors involved in virus-induced immune suppression, viral replication, and evasion of antiviral immune surveillance, which deserve further investigation for their roles in COVID-19-related symptoms and organ dysfunctions.