Sci Adv . SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity

[tetano]

Sci Adv


. 2023 Jun 9;9(23):eadg2248.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2248. Epub 2023 Jun 7. SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity

Ramón Martínez-Mármol[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rosina Giordano-Santini[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eva Kaulich[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ann-Na Cho[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Magdalena Przybyla[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Md Asrafuzzaman Riyadh[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Emilija Robinson[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Keng Yih Chew[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rumelo Amor[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Frédéric A Meunier[SUP] 1 5 [/SUP], Giuseppe Balistreri[SUP] 4 6 [/SUP], Kirsty R Short[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Yazi D Ke[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Lars M Ittner[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Massimo A Hilliard[SUP] 1 [/SUP]



Affiliations

• PMID: 37285437
• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2248

Abstract

Numerous viruses use specialized surface molecules called fusogens to enter host cells. Many of these viruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can infect the brain and are associated with severe neurological symptoms through poorly understood mechanisms. We show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces fusion between neurons and between neurons and glia in mouse and human brain organoids. We reveal that this is caused by the viral fusogen, as it is fully mimicked by the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein or the unrelated fusogen p15 from the baboon orthoreovirus. We demonstrate that neuronal fusion is a progressive event, leads to the formation of multicellular syncytia, and causes the spread of large molecules and organelles. Last, using Ca[SUP]2+[/SUP] imaging, we show that fusion severely compromises neuronal activity. These results provide mechanistic insights into how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses affect the nervous system, alter its function, and cause neuropathology.


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[sharon sanders]

Nicholas Fabiano, MD

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COVID-19 can cause brain cells to fuse.

1/9
These findings are from a study in @ScienceAdvances which explored how viruses alter the function of the nervous system. 2/9 science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg2248
Numerous viruses use specialized surface molecules called fusogens to enter host cells. 3/9
Many of these viruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can infect the brain and are associated with severe neurological symptoms through poorly understood mechanisms. 4/9
In this study, it was demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces fusion between neurons and between neurons and glia in mouse and human brain organoids. 5/9
This was caused by the viral fusogen, as it is fully mimicked by the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein or the unrelated fusogen p15 from the baboon orthoreovirus. 6/9
It was demonstrated that neuronal fusion is a progressive event, leading to the formation of multicellular syncytia, and causing the spread of large molecules and organelles. 7/9
Using Ca2+ imaging, it was shown that fusion severely compromises neuronal activity. 8/9
Overall, these results provide mechanistic insights into how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses affect the nervous system, alter its function, and cause neuropathology. 9/9​

 

[sharon sanders]

Also please see:

Study: SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Viral Fusogens Cause Neuronal and Glial Fusion that Compromises Neuronal Activity​