Targeting COVID-19 Based on Pathogenesis

The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are causing health crisis of the world. To control the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 infection, world-wide vaccination are under way. However, no specific therapeutic drugs are available in the treatment of COVID-19 yet. To find the effectively therapeutic targets for COVID-19, efforts should be focused on the pathogenesis of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 induced COVID-19 involves the processes of viral entry into the host cells, viral replication in the host cells, and induction of cytokine storm and cellular damage. Therefore, the potential targets may include the structural proteins of the virus that play roles in the pathogenesis, viral replication associated enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and signaling proteins that mediate the induction of cytokine storm. Further exploring this strategy may benefit us in finding novel therapeutic targets and effective treatment of COVID-19.