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Grinstein-Koren O, Lusthaus M, Tabibian-Keissar H, Kaplan I, Buchner A, Ilatov R, Vered M, Zlotogorski-Hurvitz A. Pathological changes in oral epithelium and the expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry receptors, ACE2 and furin. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300269. [PMID: 38489333 PMCID: PMC10942036 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2 and co-factors like furin, play key-roles in entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells. Furin is also involved in oral carcinogenesis. We investigated their expression in oral pre-malignant/malignant epithelial pathologies to evaluate whether ACE2 and furin expression might increase susceptibility of patients with these lesions for SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS Study included normal oral mucosa (N = 14), epithelial hyperplasia-mild dysplasia (N = 27), moderate-to-severe dysplasia (N = 24), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, N = 34) and oral lichen planus (N = 51). Evaluation of ACE2/furin membranous/membranous-cytoplasmic immunohistochemical expression was divided by epithelial thirds (basal/middle/upper), on a 5-tier scale (0, 1-weak, 1.5 -weak-to-moderate, 2-moderate, 3-strong). Total score per case was the sum of all epithelial thirds, and the mean staining score per group was calculated. Real time-polymerase chain reaction was performed for ACE2-RNA. Statistical differences were analyzed by One-way ANOVA, significance at p<0.05. RESULTS All oral mucosa samples were negative for ACE2 immuno-expression and its transcripts. Overall, furin expression was weakly present with total mean expression being higher in moderate-to-severe dysplasia and hyperplasia-mild dysplasia than in normal epithelium (p = 0.01, each) and SCC (p = 0.008, p = 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Oral mucosa, normal or with epithelial pathologies lacked ACE2 expression. Furin was weak and mainly expressed in dysplastic lesions. Thus, patients with epithelial pathologies do not seem to be at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, results show that oral mucosae do not seem to be a major site of SARS-CoV-2 entry and these were discussed vis-à-vis a comprehensive analysis of the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osnat Grinstein-Koren
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Lusthaus
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Ilana Kaplan
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Institute of Pathology, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel
| | - Amos Buchner
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ron Ilatov
- Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Marilena Vered
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Institute of Pathology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ayelet Zlotogorski-Hurvitz
- Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Imaging, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petach-Tikva, Israel
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Hamamoto Y, Kawamura M, Uchida H, Hiramatsu K, Katori C, Asai H, Egawa S, Yoshida K. Increased ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in ulcerative colitis. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 254:155108. [PMID: 38246035 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a cryptogenic inflammatory bowel disease, and there is an urgent need to elucidate its pathogenesis. ACE2 and TMPRSS2, the entry molecules of SARS-CoV-2, are reportedly associated with the disease; however, no consensus has been reached yet. In this study, we examined the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in colon and rectal specimens of UC. We collected colorectal specimens from 60 patients (30 patients with UC and 30 controls from 2018 to 2021) and analyzed the proportion and intensity of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 using immunohistochemistry. The results revealed a significant increase in the proportion of ACE2 expression and the intensity of TMPRSS2 expression in patients with UC. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in UC remained unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We demonstrated that ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are likely involved in the pathogenesis of UC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Hamamoto
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan; Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
| | - Michihiro Kawamura
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Uchida
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Hiramatsu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Chiaki Katori
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Hinako Asai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Egawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kyotaro Yoshida
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kinki Central Hospital, Itami, Hyogo, Japan
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Sato K, Fujii K, Tanaka H, Hori M, Hibi H, Toyokuni S. Exposure of low-temperature plasma after vaccination in tongue promotes systemic IgM induction against spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Free Radic Res 2023; 57:30-37. [PMID: 36919453 DOI: 10.1080/10715762.2023.2190486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has been pandemic since 2020 with persistent generation of new variants. Cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2 is angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), where transmembrane serine protease-2 (TMPRSS2) is essential for viral internalization. We recently reported abundant expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the oral cavity of humans and mice. Therefore, oral cavity may work for COVID-19 infection gates. Here we undertook to evaluate whether vaccination in the tongue harbors any merit in comparison to subcutaneous injection. Low-temperature plasma (LTP) is the fourth physical state of matters with ionization above gas but at body temperature. LTP provides complex chemistry, eventually supplying oxidative and/or nitrosative stress on the interface. LTP-associated cellular death has been reported to cause apoptosis and/or ferroptosis. However, there is few data available on immunogenicity retention after LTP exposure. We therefore studied the effect of LTP exposure after the injection of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or spike 2 protein of SARS-CoV-2 to the tongue of six-week-old male BALB/c mice, compared to subcutaneous vaccination. Whereas LTP did not change the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the tongue, repeated LTP exposure after tongue vaccination significantly promoted systemic and specific IgM production at day 11. In contrast, repeated LTP exposure after subcutaneous vaccination of KLH decreased systemic IgM production. Of note, tongue injection produced significantly higher titer of IgM and IgG in the case of KLH. In conclusion, LTP significantly reinforced humoral immunity by IgM after tongue injection. Vaccination to the tongue can be a novel strategy to acquire immediate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kotaro Sato
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kouki Fujii
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Tanaka
- Center for Low-temperature Plasma Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masaru Hori
- Center for Low-temperature Plasma Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hideharu Hibi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Center for Low-temperature Plasma Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shinya Toyokuni
- Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.,Center for Low-temperature Plasma Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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