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Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein-Induced Host Inflammatory Response Signature In Human Corneal Epithelial Cells

MOLECULAR MEDICINE REPORTS(2021)

Cited 6|Views8
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Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), led to an outbreak of viral pneumonia in December 2019. The present study aimed to investigate the host inflammatory response signature-caused by SARS-CoV-2 in human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). The expression level of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the human cornea was determined via immunofluorescence. In vitro experiments were performed in HCECs stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Moreover, the expression levels of ACE2, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-6, gasdermin D (GSDMD) and IL-1 beta in HCECs were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and/or western blotting. It was identified that ACE2 was expressed in normal human corneal epithelium and HCECs cultured in vitro. Furthermore, the expression levels of IL-8, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in HCECs were decreased following SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulation, while the expression levels of GSDMD and IL-1 beta were increased. In conclusion, the present results demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein suppressed the host inflammatory response and induced pyroptosis in HCECs. Therefore, blocking the ACE2 receptor in HCECs may reduce the infection rate of COVID-19.
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Key words
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, cornea, human corneal epithelial cells, ACE2, pyroptosis, GSDMD
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