Open Access

REVIEW

Cellular and molecular insights into microbiota-mitochondria interplay, therapeutic biomarkers and interventional approaches in COVID-19: A review

VIBHAV VARSHNEY^1,*, PRASHANT SINGH KUSHWAH², NEETU AGRAWAL¹, AHSAS GOYAL^1,*, GOVIND SINGH²

1 Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, India
2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India

* Corresponding Authors: VIBHAV VARSHNEY. Email: ; AHSAS GOYAL. Email:

BIOCELL 2023, 47(10), 2141-2149. https://doi.org/10.32604/biocell.2023.030853

Received 04 May 2023; Accepted 12 July 2023; Issue published 08 November 2023

Abstract

The persistent global pandemic, COVID-19, stems from the pathogenic influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), yielding an unprecedented worldwide crisis. With reference to a WHO report, the count of COVID-19 cases had exceeded 754 million by February 03, 2023. Intriguingly, emerging research has spotlighted the intricate interplay of gut microbiota and mitochondrial entities, acting as potent immunomodulatory factors at the cellular and molecular levels. This interconnection operates through a series of dynamic mechanisms. SARS-CoV-2 infection perturbs the delicate equilibrium of gut microbiota, leading to dysbiosis—a signature biomarker. This imbalance is intrinsically linked to exacerbated COVID-19 progression. Mechanistically, this microbial dysbiosis triggers aberrant immune responses, marked by cytokine storms, while also inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial activities crucial to energy production and immunoregulation are compromised. This dual perturbation of microbiota and mitochondria contributes to disease severity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of these interconnected mechanisms, illuminating how microbiota-mitochondria interplay serves as both a diagnostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target in the realm of COVID-19.

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