Diabetes, inflammation, and the adiponectin paradox: Therapeutic targets in SARS-CoV-2

[Display omitted] •SARS-CoV-2 promotes type 2 diabetes and associated aging-related disorders.•Novel immune mechanisms and hyperadiponectinemia may link SARS-CoV-2 to such chronic conditions.•Therapy targeting the adiponectin paradox could mitigate SARS-CoV-2 and future associated chronic disease. Aging and pre-existing conditions in older patients increase severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) severity and its complications, although the causes remain unclear. Apart from acute pulmonary syndrome, Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) can increasingly induce chronic conditions. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2 triggers de novo type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) linked to age-associated cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancers, and neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 induces inflammation, possibly through damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) signaling and ‘cytokine storm,’ causing insulin resistance and the adiponectin (APN) paradox, a phenomenon linking metabolic dysfunction to chronic disease. Accordingly, preventing the APN paradox by suppressing APN-related inflammatory signaling might prove beneficial. A better understanding could uncover novel therapies for SARS-CoV-2 and its chronic disorders.