Monocyte‐crosstalk drives interferon‐mediated signaling following SARS‐CoV‐2 exposure

Cells of the innate immune system represent the first line of defense against SARS‐CoV‐2 and play an essential role in activating adaptive immunity, which mediates long‐term protection. In addition, the same cells are key drivers of tissue damage by causing the hyperinflammatory state and cytokine storm that makes COVID‐19 a deadly disease. Thus, careful dissection of the host–pathogen interaction on a cellular level is essential to understanding SARS‐CoV‐2 pathogenesis and developing new treatment modalities against COVID‐19. In their recent work, Goffinet and colleagues (Kazmierski et al, 2022) investigate the cell‐intrinsic responses of human primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to SARS coronaviruses.