Induction of alarmin S100A8/A9 mediates activation of aberrant neutrophils in the pathogenesis of COVID-19

A transcriptome analysis of the lung of rhesus monkeys and mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 revealed that alarmin S100A8 was robustly induced during the disease onset, which is consistent with the observation from COVID-19 patients. A specific inhibitor of S100A8/A9 reduced the pneumonia and viral loads in the treated mice. Aberrant induction of neutrophils in infected lung caused pathological damage, which was dramatically declined by the treatment of this S100A8/A9 inhibitor.