SARS-CoV-2 infections in airway epithelial cells from smokers versus non-smokers

Whether smoking exacerbates Coronavirus disease 2019 is still debated. Ex-vivo Infection of reconstituted epithelial tissues from smoker versus non-smoker donors suggested comparable susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in epithelia from both groups. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This work was supported by the Private HUG Foundation and by Pictet Charitable Foundation (ME11710). ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: All epithelial tissues originating from smokers and non-smokers donors have been purchased from Epthelix SARL(https://www.epithelix.com/). Their production was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki on biomedical research (Hong Kong amendment, 1989), and the research protocol was approved by the local ethics committee (State Secretariat for Higher Education and Research, General Directorate for Research and Innovation, France). All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes Data available on request from the authors * SARS-CoV-2 : Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 COVID119 : coronavirus disease 2019 URT/LRT : upper/lower respiratory tract AECs : airway epithelial cells ALI : air-liquid interface MOI : multiplicity of infection ACE-2 : Angiotensin Converting Enzyme II IFN : Interferon