The role of Neuropilin-1 in COVID-19.

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a member of a family of signaling proteins, was shown to serve as an entry factor and potentiate SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectivity in vitro. This cell surface receptor with its disseminated expression is important in angiogenesis, tumor progression, viral entry, axonal guidance, and immune function. NRP-1 is implicated in several aspects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection including possible spread through the olfactory bulb and into the central nervous system and increased NRP-1 RNA expression in lungs of severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Up-regulation of NRP-1 protein in diabetic kidney cells hint at its importance in a population at risk of severe COVID-19. Involvement of NRP-1 in immune function is compelling, given the role of an exaggerated immune response in disease severity and deaths due to COVID-19. NRP-1 has been suggested to be an immune checkpoint of T cell memory. It is unknown whether involvement and up-regulation of NRP-1 in COVID-19 may translate into disease outcome and long-term consequences, including possible immune dysfunction. It is prudent to further research NRP-1 and its possibility of serving as a therapeutic target in SARS-CoV-2 infections. We anticipate that widespread expression, abundance in the respiratory and olfactory epithelium, and the functionalities of NRP-1 factor into the multiple systemic effects of COVID-19 and challenges we face in management of disease and potential long-term sequelae.

Uveitis as a Predictor of Predisposition to Autoimmunity.

The right environmental trigger can lead to immune system activation, which, in turn, can create an autoimmune reaction. Although each autoimmune disease is characterized by specific symptoms, many nonspecific symptoms can make these conditions difficult to diagnose. In this literature review, we seek an association between immunization-induced uveitis and an autoimmune diagnosis and/or autoimmune flare-up in patients. Our goal is to consider adverse reactions to vaccines as a possible warning sign of current or future autoimmune disease. If an immunization-induced adverse reaction is known to be a predictor of an autoimmune disease, the clinician could raise suspicion for autoimmune disease when a patient presents with vaccine-associated uveitis. While no direct correlations can be made yet, our review supports closer scrutiny of the association of immunizations and autoimmune disorders. The occurrence of uveitis across several autoimmune diseases could mean a possible link between vaccine-induced uveitis and undiagnosed autoimmune disease. Researchers can, therefore, perform retrospective studies on vaccinated patients and investigate the occurrence of uveitis, along with the timeframe of resolution and presenting symptoms at the time of the diagnosis of autoimmune disease.