SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 Variant Infection of Human Colon Epithelial Cells.

ABSTRACT: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, characterized by multiple subvariants including BA.1, XBB.1.5, EG.5, and JN.1, became the predominant strain in early 2022. Studies indicate that Omicron replicates less efficiently in lung tissue compared to the ancestral strain. However, the infectivity of Omicron in the gastrointestinal tract is not fully defined, despite the fact that 70% of COVID-19 patients experience digestive disease symptoms. Here, using primary human colonoids, we found that, regardless of individual variability, Omicron infects colon cells similarly or less effectively than the ancestral strain or the Delta variant. The variant induced limited type III interferon expression and showed no significant impact on epithelial integrity. Further experiments revealed inefficient cell-t

SUBMITTER: Antia A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11055019 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature