SOCS Proteins: Key Players in Immune Regulation During SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are crucial components of the immune response against viral infections. SOCS proteins inhibit cytokine signaling through various mechanisms, such as blocking STAT binding to JAKs and targeting proteins for ubiquitination and degradation. While these proteins maintain immune balance by suppressing excessive inflammatory responses, many viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, exploit SOCS proteins to evade host immunity. In consequence, understanding their modulatory functions in viral disease has become increasingly relevant. Therefore, this review aims to describe and discuss studies involving SOCS expression data in COVID-19 and their potential modulation as a valuable use for therapeutic strategies.