Lipid Raft Integrity and Cellular Cholesterol Homeostasis Are Critical for SARS-CoV-2 Entry into Cells.

ABSTRACT: Lipid rafts in cell plasma membranes play a critical role in the life cycle of many viruses. However, the involvement of membrane cholesterol-rich lipid rafts in the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into target cells is not well known. In this study, we investigated whether the presence of cholesterol-rich microdomains is required for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells. Our results show that depletion of cholesterol in the rafts by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MβCD) treatment impaired the expression of the cell surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), resulting in a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. The effects exerted by MβCD could be substantially reversed by exogenous cholesterol replenishment. In contrast, distur

SUBMITTER: Bakillah A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9415163 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature