Leronlimab would appear to be the solution to the next influenza pandemic, as well as severe seasonal influenza cases. A number of articles going back 20 years demonstrating the importance RANTES in mobilizing innate immune response, but indicating over expression in the face of novel influenza strains may be at the core of immune disregulation and pathogenicity.

Sounds familiar.

We demonstrated that in comparison to human H1N1 viruses, H5N1/97 and H5N1/04 viruses were more potent inducers of IP-10, interferon beta, RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in primary human alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. Recent H5N1 viruses from Vietnam (H5N1/04) appeared to be even more potent at inducing IP-10 than H5N1/97 virus.

Conclusion
The H5N1/97 and H5N1/04 subtype influenza A viruses are more potent inducers of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in primary human respiratory epithelial cells than subtype H1N1 virus. We suggest that this hyper-induction of cytokines may be relevant to the pathogenesis of human H5N1 disease.

Proinflammatory cytokine responses induced by influenza A (H5N1) viruses in primary human alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells

MCW Chan, CY Cheung, […]JSM Peiris