SARS-CoV-2 Receptor ACE2 Is an Interferon-Stimulated Gene in Human Airway Epithelial Cells and Is Detected in Specific Cell Subsets across Tissues.

摘要: There is pressing urgency to understand the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus clade 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes disease COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein binds angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2), and in concert with host proteases, principally transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2), promotes cellular entry. The cell subsets targeted by tissues factors that regulate ACE2 expression remain unknown. Here, we leverage human, non-human primate, mouse single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets across health uncover putative targets among tissue-resident subsets. We identify TMPRSS2 co-expressing cells within lung type II pneumocytes, ileal absorptive enterocytes, nasal goblet secretory cells. Strikingly, discovered a human interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) vitro using airway epithelial extend our findings vivo viral infections. Our data suggest could exploit species-specific interferon-driven upregulation ACE2, tissue-protective mediator during injury, enhance infection.