GABA-receptors are a new druggable target for limiting disease severity, lung viral load, and death in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice

Abstract

GABA-receptors (GABA-Rs) are well-known neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system. GABA-Rs are also expressed by immune cells and lung epithelial cells and GABA-R agonists/potentiators reduce inflammatory immune cell activities and limit acute lung injuries. Notably, plasma GABA levels are reduced in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Hence, GABA-R agonists may have therapeutic potential for treating COVID-19. Here, we show that oral GABA treatment initiated just after SARS-CoV-2 infection, or 2 days later near the peak of lung viral load, reduced disease severity, lung coefficient index, and death rates in K18-hACE2 mice. GABA-treated mice had a reduced viral load in their lungs and displayed shifts in their serum cytokine and chemokine levels that are associated with better outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Thus, GABA-R activation had multiple beneficial effects in this mouse model which are also desirable for the treatment of COVID-19. A number of GABA-R agonists are safe for human use and can be readily tested in clinical trials with COVID-19 patients. We also discuss their potential for limiting COVID-19-associated neuroinflammation.