FIGURE 4.

VIP and PACAP reduce the production of proinflammatory mediators by SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected monocytes and Calu‐3 cells. Monocytes (A) and Calu‐3 cells (B) were treated (overnight) or not with VIP or PACAP (10 nM each for monocytes, 1 nM of VIP or 50 nM of PACAP for Calu‐3 cells). Culture medium was removed and then cells were infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 for 1 h, as described in Material and Methods. After infection, viral input was removed and cells were washed, and then re‐exposed to the neuropeptides. The levels of IL‐6, IL‐8, TNF‐α and MIF were measured in culture supernatants of monocytes after 24 h (A), and of IL‐6 and IL‐8 after 48 h for Calu‐3 cells (B), by ELISA. Data represent means ± sd. *p ≤ 0.05; **p ≤ 0.01; (A) n = 6; (B) n = 4. Each dot represents an independent assay with 3 replicates