Co-expression of the SARS-CoV-2 entry receptors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in healthy human conjunctiva

被引：16

作者：

Mencucci, Rita ^{[1
]}

Favuzza, Eleonora ^{[1
]}

Becatti, Matteo ^{[2
]}

Tani, Alessia ^{[3
]}

Mazzantini, Costanza ^{[4
]}

Vignapiano, Roberto ^{[1
]}

Fiorillo, Claudia ^{[2
]}

Pellegrini-Giampietro, Domenicoe ^{[4
]}

Manetti, Mirko ^{[3
]}

Marini, Mirca ^{[3
]}

Landucci, Elisa ^{[4
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Florence, Dept Neurosci Psychol Pharmacol & Child Hlth NEUR, Eye Clin, Largo Brambilla 3, I-50134 Florence, Italy

[2] Univ Florence, Dept Expt & Clin Biomed Sci Mario Serio, Viale Morgagni 50, I-50134 Florence, Italy

[3] Univ Florence, Dept Expt & Clin Med, Sect Anat & Histol, Largo Brambilla 3, I-50134 Florence, Italy

[4] Univ Florence, Dept Hlth Sci, Sect Clin Pharmacol & Oncol, Viale Pieraccini 6, I-50139 Florence, Italy

来源：

EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH | 2021年 / 205卷

关键词：

SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; ACE2; TMPRSS2; Human conjunctiva; Conjunctival epithelial cells; Immunohistochemistry; Western blot;

D O I：

10.1016/j.exer.2021.108527

中图分类号：

R77 [眼科学];

学科分类号：

100212 ;

摘要：

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 receptors ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in an immortalized human conjunctival epithelial cell line and in healthy human conjunctiva excised during ocular surgery, using Western blot, confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The Western blot showed that ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins were expressed in human immortalized conjunctival cells, and this was confirmed by confocal microscopy images, that demonstrated a marked cellular expression of the viral receptors and their co-localization on the cell membranes. Healthy conjunctival samples from 11 adult patients were excised during retinal detachment surgery. We found the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in all the conjunctival surgical specimens analyzed and their co-localization in the superficial conjunctival epithelium. The ACE2 Western blot levels and immunofluorescence staining for ACE2 were variable among specimens. These results suggest the susceptibility of the conjunctival epithelium to SARS-CoV-2 infection, even though with a possible interindividual variability.

引用

页数：5

共 19 条

[1] Ocular surface manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A systematic review and meta-analysis [J].