The COVID-19 virus attacks protective airway cells

Posted on by Jesse Santiano, M.D.

The COVID-19 virus attacks protective airway cells and how mouthwashes can stop it

This article talks about a preprint study that came out yesterday at medRxiv. The first is from Yale University shows how the  SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 infects the ciliated cells of the respiratory tract.

Greaney and colleagues from Yale found that the SARS-CoV can infect the ciliated cells lining the respiratory tract. The ciliated cells are hair-like structures that sweep away dust containing germs like viruses upwards to the throat to be coughed out. They are part of the immune defense and constantly prevent respiratory infections.

Source: Blausen.com staff (2014)

Ciliated cells begin their life as basal cells from the innermost layers. Then they become the intermediate progenitor cells and mature into ciliated cells.

The study SARS-CoV-2 leverages airway epithelial protective mechanism for viral infection discovered that the Omicron variants preferentially infect the intermediate cells that develop into mature ciliated cells. 

The images below show that the SARS-CoV-2 viruses preferentially infect younger cells than mature cells. The result is more cells get infected because the immature cells divide into mature cells. That process happens in the first three days of infection.

Greaney et al., 2022

The infected cells can compromise tissue repair.

The other finding is that the SARS-CoV-2 decreases the ACE2 receptors. That may sound good for the host since the SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2 receptors to enter the cells. However, the opposite happens.

Fewer viruses entering the cells increase the chance of cellular survival initially, and that’s because there is less cellular inflammation. Many ACE2 allows more viruses to enter, and the host’s cells are killed immediately.

But if fewer ACE2 and fewer SARS-CoV-2 can enter, the host’s cells live longer and allow for more viral replication, increasing the viral load and worsening COVID-19.

Their findings help explain why COVID-19 is mild in children and females since they have fewer ACE2 receptors and faster cell turnover and recovery. In contrast, males and the elderly have more ACE2 receptors, which lead to a higher viral load and worse COVID-19.

Therefore, to prevent severe COVID-19, it is vital to lower the viral load.

In summary, SARS-CoV-2 viruses hijack the body’s protective mechanism to use it to reproduce itself and cause COVID-19.

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References:

  1. Greaney, AM et al. SARS-CoV-2 leverages airway epithelial protective mechanism for viral infection. bioRxiv 2022.01.29.478335;  doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.29.478335
  2. Okamoto, N et al. Virucidal activity and mechanism of action of cetylpyridinium chloride against SARS-CoV-2
    Nako Okamoto, Akatsuki Saito, Tamaki Okabayashi, Akihiko Komine
    bioRxiv 2022.01.27.477964; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.27.477964

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