Surface Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 Drive Airway Epithelial Cells to Induce IFN-Dependent Inflammation.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, robustly activates the host immune system in critically ill patients. Understanding how the virus engages the immune system will facilitate the development of needed therapeutic strategies. In this study, we demonstrate both in vitro and in vivo that the SARS-CoV-2 surface proteins spike (S) and envelope (E) activate the key immune signaling IFN pathway in both human and mouse immune and epithelial cells independent of viral infection and replication. These proteins induce reactive oxidative species generation and increases in human- and murine-specific, IFN-responsive cytokines and chemokines, similar to their upregulation in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Induction of IFN signaling is dependent on canonical but discrepant in

SUBMITTER: Anand G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8278276 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature