Many faces of the anti-COVID immune response

Authors: Vardhana SA and Wolchok JD

Publication: Journal of Experimental Medicine; April 2020

Affiliations: Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Center for Epigenetics Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA; Human Oncology Pathogenesis Program, Department of Medicine and Ludwig Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Weill Cornell Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY.

Abstract: The novel 2019 strain of coronavirus is a source of profound morbidity and mortality worldwide. Compared with recent viral outbreaks, COVID-19 infection has a relatively high mortality rate, the reasons for which are not entirely clear. Furthermore, treatment options for COVID-19 infection are currently limited. In this Perspective, we explore the contributions of the innate and adaptive immune systems to both viral control as well as toxicity during COVID-19 infections and offer suggestions to both understand and therapeutically modulate anti-COVID immunity.