Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 entry in gingival epithelial cells expressing CD147.

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the debilitating COVID-19, is mainly transmitted by first infecting nose and lung epithelial cells. The mouth is also believed to be a viral portal site since certain types of oral epithelial cells were shown to express ACE2 receptor. However, it is unclear whether oral epithelial cells are directly infected by SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we addressed whether epithelial cells of the oral gingiva were susceptible to infection. Interestingly, we found that KRT5+ and KRT18+ gingival epithelial cells do not express ACE2 but highly express TMPRSS2 and Furin as well as CD147, which was proposed to be an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2. However, using SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses containing the spike protein, we observed that gingival epithelial cells were not susceptible to infection due to the lack of ACE2 expression and the inability of CD147 to mediate viral entry. These results strongly suggest that epithelial cells from the gingiva are not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and CD147 is not a receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The susceptibility of oral cells from other oral structures under healthy and pathological conditions still needs to be confirmed to better understand the role of the oral cavity in COVID-19 infection and transmission.