SARS-CoV-2 uses ACE2 and TMPRSS2 to gain entry into the cell. However, recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 may use additional host factors that are required for the viral lifecycle. Here we used publicly available datasets, CoV-associated genes, and machine learning algorithms to explore the SARS-CoV-2 interaction landscape in different tissues. We found that in general a small fraction of cells express ACE2 in the different tissues, including nasal, bronchi, and lungs. We show that a small fraction of immune cells (including T cells, macrophages, dendritic cells) found in tissues also express ACE2. We show that healthy circulating immune cells do not express ACE2 and TMPRSS2. However, a small fraction of circulating immune cells (including dendritic cells, monocytes, T cells) in the PBMC of COVID-19 patients express ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Additionally, we found that a large spectrum of cells (in tissues and circulation) in both healthy and COVID-19-positive patients were significantly enriched for SARS-CoV-2 factors, such as those associated with RHOA and RAB GTPases, mRNA translation proteins, COPI- and COPII-mediated transport, and integrins. Thus, we propose that further research is needed to explore if SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect tissue and circulating immune cells to better understand the virus’ mechanism of action.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, macrophages, T cells, dendritic cells, immune cells, gene enrichment, 【초록키워드】 Monocytes, TMPRSS2, macrophages, T cells, nasal, Proteins, dendritic cells, Viral, Lungs, Integrins, Research, Patient, Factors, immune cells, PBMC, GTPases, circulation, mechanism of action, mRNA translation, Interaction, Immune cell, machine learning algorithm, COVID-19 patient, the cell, Transport, Machine learning algorithms, Factor, tissue, tissues, fraction, circulating, lifecycle, Express, datasets, RHOA, COPI, COPII, infect, Host, Genes, Cell, shown, significantly, healthy, required, not express, the SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 Factor, enrichment, Intracellular,