Reactive oxygen species induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection can induce EMT in solid tumors: Potential role of COVID-19 in chemo-resistance and metastasis

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has raised discussion over the connection between viral infections and the biology of cancer. Research has investigated the relationship between signaling pathways stimulated by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that may be involved in the progression of cancer, resistance to chemotherapy, and metastasis. However, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cancer progression, chemo-resistance, metastasis, and recurrence have not been fully understood. Recently, studies indicate that SARS-CoV-2 might induce inflammatory responses and cytokine storm, which can affect cellular signaling pathways associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We address the possible involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection in treatment resistance, metastatic recurrence, and the activation of EMT in solid tumors in this review. We emphasize the disturbance of mitochondria dysfunction, the overproduction of ROS in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, and its consequences for the beginning of EMT. We also suggested possible processes associated with ROS influence on EMT, inflammatory signaling pathways, and viral interaction with mitochondria. Gaining knowledge about ROS's function in SARS CoV-2 condition, promoting EMT will help to develop effective strategies during therapy treatments by lowering drug resistance and metastatic recurrence in cancer patient.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• Reactive oxygen species
• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition
• Chemoresistance
• Metastatic recurrence