2. Academic Validation
  3. Differential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in the normal nasal mucosa and in chronic sinusitis

Differential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 in the normal nasal mucosa and in chronic sinusitis

  • Eur J Immunol. 2022 Aug;52(8):1308-1320. doi: 10.1002/eji.202249805.
Zhili Zhang 1 2 3 4,  Haoran Peng 5,  Ju Lai 1,  Liangliang Jiang 5,  Liefu Wang 6,  Shengkai Jin 2 3 4 7,  Kai Fan 1,  Zimu Zhang 1,  Chuanliang Zhao 1,  Dan Deng 7,  Ping Zhao 5,  Zhengliang Gao 2 3 4 6,  Shaoqing Yu 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 389 Xincun Road, Putuo District, Shanghai, 200065, P. R. China.
  • 2 Fundamental Research Center, Department of Neurology and Neurological Rehabilitation, Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 2209 Guangxing Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China.
  • 3 Institute of Geriatrics (Shanghai University), Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University (The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong), School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 881 Yonghe Road, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, P. R. China.
  • 4 Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Organ Repair, School of Medicine, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China.
  • 5 Department of microbiology, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Wujiaochang Town, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China.
  • 6 Xinyang Vocational and Technical College, 48 Twenty-fourth Street, Xinyang, Henan, 464000, P. R. China.
  • 7 Department of Dermatology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China.
PMID: 35524548 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202249805
Abstract

Human nasal mucosa is susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection and serves as a reservoir for viral replication before spreading to other organs (e.g. the lung and brain) and transmission to other individuals. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common respiratory tract disease and there is evidence suggesting that susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection differs between the two known subtypes, eosinophilic CRS and non-ECRS (NECRS). However, the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the human nasal mucosa and its association with CRS has not been experimentally validated. In this study, we investigated whether the human nasal mucosa is susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and how different endotypes of CRS impact on viral Infection and progression. Primary human nasal mucosa tissue culture revealed highly efficient SARS-CoV-2 viral Infection and production, with particularly high susceptibility in the NECRS group. The gene expression differences suggested that human nasal mucosa is highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection, presumably due to an increase in ACE2-expressing cells and a deficiency in Antiviral immune response, especially for NECRS. Importantly, patients with NECRS may be at a particularly high risk of viral Infection and transmission, and therefore, close monitoring should be considered.

Keywords

ACE2; Chronic rhinosinusitis; Eosinophils Human nasal mucosa; SARS-CoV-2.

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