The effects of JAK inhibition on SARS-CoV-2-induced kidney injury

Patients often present with kidney injury in COVID-19. Although severe COVID-19 cases are treated with baricitinib, a JAK inhibitor, the effects of baricitinib on the kidneys in COVID-19 are unclear. The authors examined the pharmacological effects of baricitinib on kidney injury using an in vivo murine COVID-19 model. Male BALB/c mice (6–10 weeks old) were intranasally administered 2 × 10⁵ PFU/mouse mouse-adopted SARS-CoV-2 (MA10). MA10-infected mice were administered the JAK inhibitor baricitinib on days 1–3. RNA-sequencing was performed using the kidneys of non-infected, and MA10-infected mice treated with vehicle (0.5% CMC) or 10 mg/kg baricitinib.