T-Cell Expression of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 and Binding of Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection impacts immune function, notably T cells.
• Reduced T cell numbers and increased T cell exhaustion are linked to COVID-19 severity.
• The direct role of SARS-CoV-2 in T cell dysfunction versus indirect effects is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if primary human T cells are directly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To determine the impact of direct SARS-CoV-2 interaction on T cell proliferation, activation, and survival.

Main Methods:

• Assessed angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) expression in primary human T cells.
• Exposed T cells to SARS-CoV-2 particles.
• Compared proliferation and apoptosis rates between infected and uninfected T cells.

Main Results:

• Primary human T cells express ACE-2, the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, enabling viral entry.
• T cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2 showed reduced proliferation and increased apoptosis.
• Direct SARS-CoV-2 interaction alters T cell growth, activation, and survival.

Conclusions:

• SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect human T cells.
• Direct viral interaction with T cells contributes to immune dysregulation observed in severe COVID-19.
• Understanding direct T cell infection is crucial for addressing SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.