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Human Cardiac Pericytes are Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection, 2022, Brumback et al

Discussion in 'Epidemics (including Covid-19, not Long Covid)' started by Andy, Sep 21, 2022.

  1. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    21,814
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    HIGHLIGHTS

    • SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates within cardiac pericytes in human organotypic cardiac slices.
    • SARS-CoV-2 infects human primary cardiac pericytes through an ACE2- and endosomal dependent pathway.
    • Infection of human primary cardiac pericytes leads to upregulation of inflammatory chemokine and cytokine expression, type I interferon signaling, mediators of vasoreactivity, and NF-κB-dependent cell death.
    • SARS-CoV-2 directly infects cardiac pericytes in patients with COVID-19 myocarditis.

    SUMMARY

    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with serious cardiovascular complications, with incompletely understood mechanism(s). Pericytes have key functions in supporting endothelial cells and maintaining vascular integrity. We demonstrate that human cardiac pericytes are permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection in organotypic slice and primary cell cultures. Viral entry into pericytes is mediated by endosomal proteases, and infection leads to upregulation of inflammatory markers, vasoactive mediators, and NF-κB-dependent cell death. Furthermore, we present evidence of cardiac pericyte infection in COVID-19 myocarditis patients. These data demonstrate that human cardiac pericytes are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and suggest a role for pericyte infection in COVID-19.

    Open access, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452302X2200328X
     
    Peter Trewhitt likes this.

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