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SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cells of human retinal organoids (preprint)
biorxiv; 2021.
Preprint
in English
| bioRxiv | ID: ppzbmed-10.1101.2021.10.09.463766
ABSTRACT
Several studies have pointed to retinal involvement in COVID 19 disease, yet many questions remain regarding the ability of SARS CoV 2 to infect and replicate in retinal cells and its effects on the retina. Here we have used human stem cell derived retinal organoids to study retinal infection by the SARS CoV 2 virus. Indeed, SARS CoV 2 can infect and replicate in retinal organoids, as it is shown to infect different retinal lineages, such as retinal ganglion cells and photoreceptors. SARS CoV 2 infection of retinal organoids also induces the expression of several inflammatory genes, such as interleukin 33, a gene associated with acute COVID 19 disease and retinal degeneration. Finally, we show that the use of antibodies to block the ACE2 receptor significantly reduces SARS CoV 2 infection of retinal organoids, indicating that SARS CoV 2 infects retinal cells in an ACE2 dependent manner. These results suggest a retinal involvement in COVID 19 and emphasize the need to monitor retinal pathologies as potential sequelae of long COVID.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
Preprints
Database:
bioRxiv
Main subject:
Retinal Degeneration
/
Retinitis
/
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
/
Infections
Language:
English
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Preprint
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