In vitro evidence against productive SARS-CoV-2 infection of human testicular cells: Bystander effects of infection mediate testicular injury.

ABSTRACT: The hallmark of severe COVID-19 involves systemic cytokine storm and multi-organ injury including testicular inflammation, reduced testosterone, and germ cell depletion. The ACE2 receptor is also expressed in the resident testicular cells, however, SARS-CoV-2 infection and mechanisms of testicular injury are not fully understood. The testicular injury could be initiated by direct virus infection or exposure to systemic inflammatory mediators or viral antigens. We characterized SARS-CoV-2 infection in different human testicular 2D and 3D culture systems including primary Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, mixed seminiferous tubule cells (STC), and 3D human testicular organoids (HTO). Data shows that SARS-CoV-2 does not productively infect any testicular cell type. However, exposure of STC and HTO

SUBMITTER: Giannakopoulos S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10231791 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature