Scientists make four major discoveries about SARS-CoV-2

Researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine studied SARS-CoV-2 infections at individual cell levels and made four major findings about the virus, including one that confirms the effectiveness of remdesivir – an antiviral drug that approved by FDA – as a treatment modality for true COVID -19 disease.

“Since the inception of COVID-19 pandemic disease, there has been a close study of how each person responds differently to the disease. In our new study, we examined changes in the a way in which individual cells responded differently to the coronavirus and responded to antiviral treatment, “said Ryan Langlois, PhD, senior study author, associate professor in the Department of Microbio and Psychology and member of the Center for Psychology at the U School of Medicine U of M.

The study, published in the journal Pathogens PLOS, search:

• SARS-CoV-2 mainly affects two cell types in the upper respiratory tract – bound cells and beak cells;
• Goblet cells are the major representative of pro-inflammatory responses, which are common in severe COVID-19 cases;
• Remdesivir is effective, however, in inhibiting virus reproduction in all cell types in the upper respiratory tract;
• SARS-CoV-2 is highly effective in preventing initial detection by the immune system, but when detected, viral replication is effectively disrupted by antiviral responses.

“Understanding early events in interactions with virus hosts is critical to understanding the pathophysiology of the disease as well as identifying appropriate antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs,” Langlois said. Our findings show that ciliated airway epithelial cells are the most common cell type infected with SARS-CoV-2, and importantly, that remdesivir is able to reduce viral reproduction. in all cell types within this culture system. “

The diverse population of cells that line the human airway, known as the “airway epithelium,” is the first line of defense against COVID-19 and can set the stage for immune responses. which either protects against disease or causes damage. Using a state-of-the-art device that accurately measures single-cell reactions, the Langlois team found that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of capturing most cell types in the human airway. and identified a key gene required for viral entry.

“As expected, we saw many differences between different cells in the antiviral immune response, paving the way for future studies that will better address why some people are immune to largely from COVID-19 infection, “Langlois said.