Inducible CD147 up-regulation boosts extended SARS-CoV-2 infection triggering severe COVID-19 independent of ACE2.

ABSTRACT: The high mortality caused by severe COVID-19 poses great challenges to the public health. However, the underlying pathogenesis of severe cases remains unclear. Here, we find that SARS-CoV-2 infection boosts CD147 inducible up-regulation in the lung tissues of virus-infected rhesus macaques coupled with down-regulated membrane-bound ACE2, which conduces to extended virus infection and severe pathological lesions. Specifically, SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances the expression of transcriptional factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor and facilitates its nucleus translocation, which causes CD147 gene transcription and its up-regulation in protein level, thereby leading to virus susceptibility of the hosts and extended virus infection. Meanwhile, SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers immune imbalance of lung tis

SUBMITTER: Wang K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12864993 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature