Human transferrin receptor can mediate SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been detected in almost all organs of coronavirus disease-19 patients, although some organs do not express angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), a known receptor of SARS-CoV-2, implying the presence of alternative receptors and/or co-receptors. Here, we show that the ubiquitously distributed human transferrin receptor (TfR), which binds to diferric transferrin to traffic between membrane and endosome for the iron delivery cycle, can ACE2-independently mediate SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human, not mouse TfR, interacts with Spike protein with a high affinity (KD ~2.95 nM) to mediate SARS-CoV-2 endocytosis. TfR knock-down (TfR-deficiency is lethal) and overexpression inhibit and promote SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively. Humanized TfR expression enables SARS-CoV-2 infection in baby hamster kidney cells and C57 mice, which are known to be insusceptible to the virus infection. Soluble TfR, Tf, designed peptides blocking TfR-Spike interaction and anti-TfR antibody show significant anti-COVID-19 effects in cell and monkey models. Collectively, this report indicates that TfR is a receptor/co-receptor of SARS-CoV-2 mediating SARS-CoV-2 entry and infectivity by likely using the TfR trafficking pathway.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:121

Enthalten in:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America - 121(2024), 10 vom: 05. März, Seite e2317026121

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Liao, Zhiyi [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Chaoming [VerfasserIn]
Tang, Xiaopeng [VerfasserIn]
Yang, Mengli [VerfasserIn]
Duan, Zilei [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Lei [VerfasserIn]
Lu, Shuaiyao [VerfasserIn]
Ma, Lei [VerfasserIn]
Cheng, Ruomei [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Gan [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Hongqi [VerfasserIn]
Yang, Shuo [VerfasserIn]
Xu, Jingwen [VerfasserIn]
Tadese, Dawit Adisu [VerfasserIn]
Mwangi, James [VerfasserIn]
Kamau, Peter Muiruri [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Zhiye [VerfasserIn]
Yang, Lian [VerfasserIn]
Liao, Guoyang [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Xudong [VerfasserIn]
Peng, Xiaozhong [VerfasserIn]
Lai, Ren [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Alternative receptors
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
CD71 antigen
EC 3.4.15.1
EC 3.4.17.23
Interaction
Journal Article
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
Receptors, Transferrin
SARS-CoV-2
Spike
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
Spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
Transferrin receptor

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 28.02.2024

Date Revised 14.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1073/pnas.2317026121

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM368982092