MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity
Defective IFN production and exacerbated inflammatory and pro-fibrotic responses are hallmarks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in severe COVID-19. Based on these hallmarks, and considering the pivotal role of macrophages in COVID-19 pathogenesis, we hypothesize that the transcription factors MAFB and MAF cr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.603507/full |
| _version_ | 1819019464706883584 |
|---|---|
| author | Miguel A. Vega Miriam Simón-Fuentes Arturo González de la Aleja Concha Nieto María Colmenares Cristina Herrero Ángeles Domínguez-Soto Ángel L. Corbí |
| author_facet | Miguel A. Vega Miriam Simón-Fuentes Arturo González de la Aleja Concha Nieto María Colmenares Cristina Herrero Ángeles Domínguez-Soto Ángel L. Corbí |
| author_sort | Miguel A. Vega |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Defective IFN production and exacerbated inflammatory and pro-fibrotic responses are hallmarks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in severe COVID-19. Based on these hallmarks, and considering the pivotal role of macrophages in COVID-19 pathogenesis, we hypothesize that the transcription factors MAFB and MAF critically contribute to COVID-19 progression by shaping the response of macrophages to SARS-CoV-2. Our proposal stems from the recent identification of pathogenic lung macrophage subsets in severe COVID-19, and takes into consideration the previously reported ability of MAFB to dampen IFN type I production, as well as the critical role of MAFB and MAF in the acquisition and maintenance of the transcriptional signature of M-CSF–conditioned human macrophages. Solid evidences are presented that link overexpression of MAFB and silencing of MAF expression with clinical and biological features of severe COVID-19. As a whole, we propose that a high MAFB/MAF expression ratio in lung macrophages could serve as an accurate diagnostic tool for COVID-19 progression. Indeed, reversing the macrophage MAFB/MAF expression ratio might impair the exacerbated inflammatory and profibrotic responses, and restore the defective IFN type I production, thus becoming a potential strategy to limit severity of COVID-19. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:35:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2767d061d22a4ebb8741829ddb41d58f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T03:35:44Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2767d061d22a4ebb8741829ddb41d58f2022-12-21T19:17:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242020-11-011110.3389/fimmu.2020.603507603507MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 SeverityMiguel A. VegaMiriam Simón-FuentesArturo González de la AlejaConcha NietoMaría ColmenaresCristina HerreroÁngeles Domínguez-SotoÁngel L. CorbíDefective IFN production and exacerbated inflammatory and pro-fibrotic responses are hallmarks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in severe COVID-19. Based on these hallmarks, and considering the pivotal role of macrophages in COVID-19 pathogenesis, we hypothesize that the transcription factors MAFB and MAF critically contribute to COVID-19 progression by shaping the response of macrophages to SARS-CoV-2. Our proposal stems from the recent identification of pathogenic lung macrophage subsets in severe COVID-19, and takes into consideration the previously reported ability of MAFB to dampen IFN type I production, as well as the critical role of MAFB and MAF in the acquisition and maintenance of the transcriptional signature of M-CSF–conditioned human macrophages. Solid evidences are presented that link overexpression of MAFB and silencing of MAF expression with clinical and biological features of severe COVID-19. As a whole, we propose that a high MAFB/MAF expression ratio in lung macrophages could serve as an accurate diagnostic tool for COVID-19 progression. Indeed, reversing the macrophage MAFB/MAF expression ratio might impair the exacerbated inflammatory and profibrotic responses, and restore the defective IFN type I production, thus becoming a potential strategy to limit severity of COVID-19.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.603507/fullmacrophageinnate immunityCOVID-19MAFBMAF |
| spellingShingle | Miguel A. Vega Miriam Simón-Fuentes Arturo González de la Aleja Concha Nieto María Colmenares Cristina Herrero Ángeles Domínguez-Soto Ángel L. Corbí MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity Frontiers in Immunology macrophage innate immunity COVID-19 MAFB MAF |
| title | MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity |
| title_full | MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity |
| title_fullStr | MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity |
| title_full_unstemmed | MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity |
| title_short | MAFB and MAF Transcription Factors as Macrophage Checkpoints for COVID-19 Severity |
| title_sort | mafb and maf transcription factors as macrophage checkpoints for covid 19 severity |
| topic | macrophage innate immunity COVID-19 MAFB MAF |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.603507/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT miguelavega mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT miriamsimonfuentes mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT arturogonzalezdelaaleja mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT conchanieto mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT mariacolmenares mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT cristinaherrero mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT angelesdominguezsoto mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity AT angellcorbi mafbandmaftranscriptionfactorsasmacrophagecheckpointsforcovid19severity |