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Pontelli MC, Castro IA, Martins RB, La Serra L, Veras FP, Nascimento DC, Silva CM, Cardoso RS, Rosales R, Gomes R, Lima TM, Souza JP, Vitti BC, Caetité DB, de Lima MHF, Stumpf SD, Thompson CE, Bloyet LM, Kawahisa JTE, Giannini MC, Bonjorno LP, Lopes MIF, Batah SS, Li S, Assad RL, Almeida SCL, Oliveira FR, Benatti MN, Pontes LLF, Santana RC, Vilar FC, Martins MA, Shi PY, Cunha TM, Calado RT, Alves-Filho JC, Zamboni DS, Fabro A, Louzada-Junior P, Oliveira RDR, Whelan SPJ, Cunha FQ, Arruda E. SARS-CoV-2 productively infects primary human immune system cells in vitro and in COVID-19 patients. J Mol Cell Biol 2022; 14:6572370. [PMID: 35451490 PMCID: PMC9384834 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjac021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with a hyperinflammatory state and lymphocytopenia, a hallmark that appears as both signature and prognosis of disease severity outcome. Although cytokine storm and a sustained inflammatory state are commonly associated with immune cell depletion, it is still unclear whether direct SARS-CoV-2 infection of immune cells could also play a role in this scenario by harboring viral replication. We found that monocytes, as well as both B and T lymphocytes, were susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro, accumulating double-stranded RNA consistent with viral RNA replication and ultimately leading to expressive T cell apoptosis. In addition, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 was frequently detected in monocytes and B lymphocytes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The rates of SARS-CoV-2-infected monocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from COVID-19 patients increased over time from symptom onset, with SARS-CoV-2-positive monocytes, B cells, and CD4+ T lymphocytes also detected in postmortem lung tissue. These results indicated that SARS-CoV-2 infection of blood-circulating leukocytes in COVID-19 patients might have important implications for disease pathogenesis and progression, immune dysfunction, and virus spread within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie C Pontelli
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Italo A Castro
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo B Martins
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leonardo La Serra
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávio P Veras
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniele C Nascimento
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila M Silva
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo S Cardoso
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberta Rosales
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rogério Gomes
- Blood Center of Ribeirao Preto, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais M Lima
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliano P Souza
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Brenda C Vitti
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diego B Caetité
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mikhael H F de Lima
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Spencer D Stumpf
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Cassandra E Thompson
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Louis-Marie Bloyet
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Juliana T E Kawahisa
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcela C Giannini
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Letícia P Bonjorno
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria I F Lopes
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sabrina S Batah
- Department of Pathology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Siyuan Li
- Department of Pathology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo L Assad
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sergio C L Almeida
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabiola R Oliveira
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maíra N Benatti
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lorena L F Pontes
- Blood Center of Ribeirao Preto, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo C Santana
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernando C Vilar
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria A Martins
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Thiago M Cunha
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo T Calado
- Blood Center of Ribeirao Preto, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José C Alves-Filho
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dario S Zamboni
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Fabro
- Department of Pathology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Louzada-Junior
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rene D R Oliveira
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Divisions of Clinical Immunology, Infectious Diseases and Intensive Care Unit, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sean P J Whelan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Fernando Q Cunha
- Center of Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eurico Arruda
- Virology Research Center, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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