SARS-CoV-2 variants divergently infect and damage cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

COVID-19 can cause cardiac complications and the latter are associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality. SARS-CoV-2 variants differ in their infectivity and pathogenicity, but how they affect cardiomyocytes (CMs) is unclear.

Methods

The effects of SARS-CoV-2 variants were investigated using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (hiPSC-) CMs in vitro and Golden Syrian hamsters in vivo.

Results

Different variants exhibited distinct tropism, mechanism of viral entry and pathology in the heart. Omicron BA.2 most efficiently infected and injured CMs in vitro and in vivo, and induced expression changes consistent with increased cardiac dysfunction, compared to other variants tested. Bioinformatics and upstream regulator analyses identified transc

SUBMITTER: Mok BW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11297708 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature