Various neurological symptoms have been associated to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection including headache, fever, anosmia, ageusia, but also, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome and ischemic stroke. Responsible for the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 may access and affect the central nervous system (CNS) by several pathways such as axonal retrograde transport or through interaction with the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. Here, we explored the molecular and cellular effects of direct SARS-CoV-2 infection of human BBB cells. We observed low replication of SARS-CoV-2 that was accompanied by very moderate inflammatory response. Using a human in vitro BBB model, we also described low replication levels without strong inflammatory response or modulation of endothelium integrity. Finally, using serum samples from COVID-19 patients, we highlighted strong concentrations of pro-inflammatory factors that did not perturb BBB integrity after short term exposure. Altogether, our results show that the main mechanism of brain access following SARS-CoV-2 infection does not seem to be directed by brain infection through endothelial cells.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Inflammation, blood-brain barrier, Central nervous system, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, coronavirus, pandemic, stroke, SARS-COV-2 infection, Infection, in vitro, headache, Brain, Encephalitis, Anosmia, Endothelium, Replication, Ageusia, cells, endothelial cells, Fever, pathway, molecular, CNS, moderate, mechanism, COVID-19 patients, Guillain-barrè syndrome, CSF, cellular, Interaction, Inflammatory response, Concentration, Brain infection, acute respiratory syndrome, retrograde transport, modulation, serum sample, replication of SARS-CoV-2, Effect, Affect, Neurological symptom, described, accompanied, pro-inflammatory factor, 【제목키워드】 Human, barrier, Effect,