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SARS-CoV-2 receptor and entry genes are expressed by sustentacular cells in the human olfactory neuroepithelium

Leon Fodoulian, Joel Tuberosa, Daniel Rossier, Madlaina Boillat, Chenda Kan, Véronique Pauli, Kristof Egervari, Johannes A. Lobrinus, Basile N. Landis, Alan Carleton, Ivan Rodriguez
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.31.013268
Leon Fodoulian
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
2Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Joel Tuberosa
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Daniel Rossier
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
3Epigenetics & Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Via Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
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Madlaina Boillat
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Chenda Kan
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Véronique Pauli
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Kristof Egervari
4Service of clinical Pathology, Department of Genetic Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
5Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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Johannes A. Lobrinus
4Service of clinical Pathology, Department of Genetic Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Basile N. Landis
6Rhinology-Olfactology Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Alan Carleton
2Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1 rue Michel-Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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  • For correspondence: alan.carleton@unige.ch ivan.rodriguez@unige.ch
Ivan Rodriguez
1Department of Genetics and Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
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  • For correspondence: alan.carleton@unige.ch ivan.rodriguez@unige.ch
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Abstract

Various reports indicate an association between COVID-19 and anosmia, suggesting an infection of the olfactory sensory epithelium, and thus a possible direct virus access to the brain. To test this hypothesis, we generated RNA-seq libraries from human olfactory neuroepithelia, in which we found substantial expression of the genes coding for the virus receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), and for the virus internalization enhancer TMPRSS2. We analyzed a human olfactory single-cell RNA-seq dataset and determined that sustentacular cells, which maintain the integrity of olfactory sensory neurons, express ACE2 and TMPRSS2. We then observed that the ACE2 protein was highly expressed in a subset of sustentacular cells in human and mouse olfactory tissues. Finally, we found ACE2 transcripts in specific brain cell types, both in mice and humans. Sustentacular cells thus represent a potential entry door for SARS-CoV-2 in a neuronal sensory system that is in direct connection with the brain.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

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Posted May 30, 2020.
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SARS-CoV-2 receptor and entry genes are expressed by sustentacular cells in the human olfactory neuroepithelium
Leon Fodoulian, Joel Tuberosa, Daniel Rossier, Madlaina Boillat, Chenda Kan, Véronique Pauli, Kristof Egervari, Johannes A. Lobrinus, Basile N. Landis, Alan Carleton, Ivan Rodriguez
bioRxiv 2020.03.31.013268; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.31.013268
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SARS-CoV-2 receptor and entry genes are expressed by sustentacular cells in the human olfactory neuroepithelium
Leon Fodoulian, Joel Tuberosa, Daniel Rossier, Madlaina Boillat, Chenda Kan, Véronique Pauli, Kristof Egervari, Johannes A. Lobrinus, Basile N. Landis, Alan Carleton, Ivan Rodriguez
bioRxiv 2020.03.31.013268; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.31.013268

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