Download This PaperIfn-Gamma As a Major Antiviral Therapeutic for Viral Epidemics, Including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A Clinically Forgotten But Potential Antiviral Cytokine and Non-Virus-Specific Antiviral As a New Antiviral Strategy
Journal of Clinical Review & Case Reports,Vol. 5, Issue 4, 2020
5 Pages Posted: 12 May 2020
Date Written: April 29, 2020
Abstract
IFN-gamma is a type II IFN known as immune IFN that differs from virus-induced type I and III IFNs. IFN-gamma has been clinically used to treat a wide variety of diseases. The original function of IFN-gamma is its natural antiviral activity, and this molecule may be effective in viral infection and consequent disseminated multi-organ invasion. Despite its role as an inflammatory cytokine, IFN-gamma induces regulatory T cells and antigen-specific regulatory B cells, which play a counter-regulatory role in the immune reaction, possibly preventing or controlling excessive immune responses such as cytokine storms that can result in death.
The advantages of IFN-gamma are as follows:
1) IFN-gamma is a non-virus-specific antiviral therapeutic and can be used in new virus infections and epidemics;
2) IFN-gamma is strongly predicted to be effective in viral infection;
3) adequate clinical data for the clinical protocols of IFN-gamma including dosage and period of use, are available;
4) IFN-gamma is a relatively safe drug with few side effects and no rare severe side effects;
5) IFN-gamma is available immediately; and
6) IFN-gamma is not expensive.
New viruses have appeared every several years, causing serious epidemics to pandemic circumstances. Researchers must develop antiviral strategies against viral diseases, especially for critically serious viral epidemics. Among the IFNs, IFN-gamma is regarded as suitable and strongly recommended as a major antiviral agent, at least in high-risk patients who are infected by viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), when no vaccines or virus-specific antiviral therapeutics are available.
Note: Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: No conflict
Keywords: IFN-γ, antiviral therapeutic, non-virus-specific, viral epidemics, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), COVID 19
JEL Classification: I10
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation