Promoting autophagy to mitigate coronavirus disease pathology in the elderly

Abstract

Abstract In this commentary, we highlight autophagy's important function, while identifying potential therapeutic targets for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in the elderly. Autophagy's decline in the elderly causes increased cell senescence and a dysregulated immune system. As this demographic often faces decreased vaccine‐provided immunity, coronavirus disease 2019 treatments must be developed. We discuss a recent study by Acharya et al. (2022) that found that SF2523 induced autophagy, reducing SARS‐CoV‐2 replication. Furthermore, across varying dosages, SF2523 was shown to have a synergistic effect with remdesivir or MU‐UNMC. Consequently, we believe that SF2523, alone or with other anti‐virals, is a promising potential therapeutic for preventing SARS‐CoV‐2‐related mortalities.