[HTML][HTML] Relative abundance of SARS-CoV-2 entry genes in the enterocytes of the lower gastrointestinal tract

JJ Lee, S Kopetz, E Vilar, JP Shen, K Chen, A Maitra - Genes, 2020 - mdpi.com
Genes, 2020mdpi.com
There is increasing evidence of gastrointestinal (GI) infection by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We surveyed the co-expression of SARS-CoV-2
entry genes ACE2 and TMPRSS2 throughout the GI tract to assess potential sites of
infection. Publicly available and in-house single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets from the GI
tract were queried. Enterocytes from the small intestine and colonocytes showed the highest
proportions of cells co-expressing ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Therefore, the lower GI tract …
There is increasing evidence of gastrointestinal (GI) infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We surveyed the co-expression of SARS-CoV-2 entry genes ACE2 and TMPRSS2 throughout the GI tract to assess potential sites of infection. Publicly available and in-house single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets from the GI tract were queried. Enterocytes from the small intestine and colonocytes showed the highest proportions of cells co-expressing ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Therefore, the lower GI tract represents the most likely site of SARS-CoV-2 entry leading to GI infection.
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