Considerable advances have been made in the last months in understanding the contribution of the immune system to the pathology induced by SARS-CoV2. Here, Elisa BRAUNS from the group of Stanislas Goriely assessed the short and long-term impact of the infection on the function and the molecular features of circulating monocytes. They demonstrate that severe infection is associated with major alterations of the capacity of monocytes to produce cytokines in response to stimulation by various TLR ligands. However, this immune paralysis was not persistent as it was followed in the next months by enhanced inflammatory potential. They provide evidence that these processes are associated with modulation of AP-1 and MAF activities and epigenetic imprinting. This study sheds new light on the long-term potential impact of COVID-19 infection.

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