Differential innate immune response and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in human diabetic corneal epithelial cells
Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
; 63(7):1670-A0500, 2022.
Article
in English
| EMBASE | ID: covidwho-2058478
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
Diabetes predisposes an individual to severe COVID-19. Diabetic cornea is also known to have impaired wound healing, increasing the chances of infection. Earlier, we reported the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect conjunctival cells, and the presence of viral RNA and proteins was also detected in the corneas of COVID-19 donors. In this study, we evaluated the effect of diabetes on corneal innate immune response during SARS-CoV-2 infection and sought to determine the underlying mechanisms.Methods:
Human primary corneolimbal epithelial cells (HCECs) were isolated from the corneas of three diabetic and three non-diabetic donors. In vitro studies were performed by infecting HCECs with SARS-CoV-2-USA-WA1/2020 strain at MOI 0.5. Viral replication was assessed by viral genome copy number. RNAseq analysis was performed to determine genes/pathways altered by diabetic vs non-diabetic HCECs. qPCR was used to assess the expression of innate inflammatory and antiviral genes. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of antiviral signaling molecules.Results:
The primary HCECs were found permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as evidenced by increased viral replication which peaked at day 3 p.i. along with an induction of pSTAT1. Interestingly, HCECs from diabetic cornea had higher viral RNA on all three days post-infection. SARS-CoV-2 infected HCECs exhibited induced expression of inflammatory genes and their levels were relatively higher in diabetic cells. RNA-seq analysis revealed significant differences in diabetic vs. non-diabetic SARS-CoV-2 infected cells with alteration in genes regulating viral response, inflammation, and injury. The most affected down-regulated genes are related to lipid metabolism, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress.Conclusions:
Our study demonstrates increased SARS-CoV-2 replication and differential innate antiviral and inflammatory response in HCECs from diabetic corneas. These results indicate that diabetes is a potential risk for enhanced infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 for the ocular surface.
antivirus agent; virus RNA; adult; conference abstract; cornea; coronavirus disease 2019; diabetes mellitus; diabetic keratopathy; epithelium cell; ferroptosis; gene expression; human; human cell; in vitro study; inflammation; injury; innate immunity; lipid metabolism; nonhuman; oxidative stress; protein expression; RNA sequencing; SARS-CoV-2 (clinical isolate USA/WA1/2020); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; signal transduction; virus genome; virus replication; Western blotting
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Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
EMBASE
Language:
English
Journal:
Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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