SARS-CoV-2 infection of polarized human airway epithelium induces necroptosis that causes airway epithelial barrier dysfunction.

ABSTRACT: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19). One key feature associated with COVID-19 is excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine production that leads to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although the cytokine storm induces inflammatory cell death in the host, which type of programmed cell death mechanism that occurs in various organs and cells remains elusive. Using an in vitro culture model of polarized human airway epithelium (HAE), we observed that necroptosis, but not apoptosis or pyroptosis, plays an essential role in the damage of the epithelial barrier of polarized HAE infected with SARS-CoV-2. Pharmacological inhibitors of necroptosis, necrostatin-2 and necrosulfonamide, efficiently prev

SUBMITTER: Hao S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10754389 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature