COVID-19 Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Increase the Density of Lipid Rafts in Human Small Airway Epithelial Cells.
Int J Mol Sci
; 24(2)2023 Jan 14.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2229278
ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus is the causative agent of the COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 viral infection can affect many cell types, including epithelial cells of the lungs and airways. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by virtually all cell types, and their packaged cargo allows for intercellular communication, cell differentiation, and signal transduction. Cargo from virus-infected cells may include virally derived metabolites, miRNAs, nucleic acids, and proteins. We hypothesized that COVID-19 plasma EVs can induce the formation of signaling platforms known as lipid rafts after uptake by normal human small airway epithelial cells (SAECs). Circulating EVs from patients with or without COVID-19 were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, Western blotting using specific antibodies, and transmission electron microscopy. Primary cultures of normal human small airway epithelial cells were challenged with EVs from the two patient groups, and lipid raft formation was measured by fluorescence microscopy and assessed by sucrose density gradient analysis. Collectively, our data suggest that circulating EVs from COVID-19-infected patients can induce the formation of lipid rafts in normal human small airway epithelial cells. These results suggest the need for future studies aimed at investigating whether the increased density of lipid rafts in these cells promotes viral entry and alteration of specific signaling pathways in the recipient cells.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Extracellular Vesicles
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Ijms24021654
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