Evolution of nasal and olfactory infection characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 infection of the upper airway and the subsequent immune response are early, critical factors in COVID-19 pathogenesis. By studying infection of human biopsies in vitro and in a hamster model in vivo, we demonstrated a transition in tropism from olfactory to respiratory epithelium as the virus evolved. Analyzing each variants revealed that SARS-CoV-2 WA1 or Delta infects a proportion of olfactory neurons in addition to the primary target sustentacular cells. The Delta variant possesses broader cellular invasion capacity into the submucosa, while Omicron displays longer retention in the sinonasal epithelium. The olfactory neuronal infection by WA1 and the subsequent olfactory bulb transport via axon is more pronounced in younger hosts. In addition, the observed viral clearance del

SUBMITTER: Chen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9016639 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature