SARS-CoV-2 infections through nasal cells – naturopathic portal and naturopathic specialists

Nasal cells offer attack points for coronaviruses

The exact transmission pathways of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are not yet fully understood. Until now it was unclear what role the nose plays in the transmission. A Cambridge research team has shown that certain cells in the nasal and intestinal mucosa have the necessary proteins and receptor enzymes for SARS-CoV-2 to penetrate.

Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, England showed that cells in the nose and intestinal mucosa contain the receptor protein ACE2 and the enzyme TMPRSS2. Both are the basic prerequisites for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus to enter cells. The virus was originally assumed to primarily affect epithelial cells of the respiratory tract. The findings were presented in the two renowned journals “Nature Medicine” and “Cell”.

New decoded entry point for SARS-CoV-2

The origin and development (pathogenesis) of COVID-19 is still only known at first. An English research team has made an important contribution to understanding the new disease. The team identified two specific types of cells in the nose as probable points of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The researchers showed that the calyx and hair cells in the nose are high in receptors that the virus uses to enter our cells.

COVID-19: the role of the nose was not clear

The new findings help explain the high transmission rate of COVID-19 and at the same time offer new approaches to treatment and containment strategies. SARS-CoV-2 is known to be spread through droplet infections and that the virus affects the throat and lungs. Until now, the role of the nose was unclear. The research team was now able to determine the exact cell types that are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 in the nose.

Twenty different types of tissue were examined

Using the latest methods, the researchers analyzed 20 different types of tissue from uninfected people. These included, for example, cells from the lungs, nasal cavity, eye, intestine, heart, kidney, and liver. The researchers looked at which cells express (express) the two most important input proteins that SARS-CoV-2 needs to infect cells.

The nose as the most likely first route of infection

“We found that the receptor protein, ACE2, and the TMPRSS2 protease, which can activate the entry of SARS-CoV-2, are expressed in cells of various organs, including cells in the nasal cavity,” explains the author of the study, the Dr. Waradon Sungnak. Investigations revealed that especially mucus-producing goblet cells and cilia in the nose have a high concentration of the necessary input proteins. “This makes these cells the most likely primary route of infection for the virus,” emphasizes Sungnak.

Viruses can quickly reach nasal cells

“This is the first time that these special cells in the nose have been associated with COVID-19,” adds Dr. Martijn Nawijn from the research team. The location of these cells on the surface of the inside of the nose makes them very accessible to the virus and could also promote transmission to other people. This is a possible explanation for the rapid spread.

The eye and intestinal cells are also vulnerable

The two main input proteins ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were also found in cells of the cornea of ​​the eye and in the intestinal mucosa. This indicates another possible route of infection through the tear ducts and also reveals the potential for a faecal or oral transmission route.

The atlas of human cells.

The investigations were carried out as part of the global “Atlas of Human Cells Consortium”. In this ambitious project, all human cells must be analyzed to better understand disease and health-related processes. More than 1,600 people in 70 countries participate in this project. The data should be available to researchers worldwide. The project has already provided important information about COVID-19.

“As we create the atlas of human cells, it is already being used to understand COVID-19 and determine which cells are critical to infection and initial transmission,” emphasizes Dr. Sarah Teichmann, the project’s co-chair. According to Teichmann, the findings also provide a basis for developing possible containment strategies and treatments.

The atlas offers new approaches.

“By identifying the characteristics of each cell type, the Human Cell Atlas helps researchers diagnose, control and treat diseases like COVID-19 in a whole new way,” added Professor Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Welcome Sanger Institute. Cross-border cooperation and the open exchange of research results are crucial to the rapid development of effective diagnoses and therapies to ensure that no country is left behind. (vb)

Important note:
This article contains general information only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. It cannot replace a visit to the doctor.