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Nat Neurosci . The S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 crosses the blood-brain barrier in mice

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Nat Neurosci


. 2020 Dec 16.
doi: 10.1038/s41593-020-00771-8. Online ahead of print.
The S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 crosses the blood-brain barrier in mice


Elizabeth M Rhea[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Aric F Logsdon[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Kim M Hansen[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Lindsey M Williams[SUP] 1 [/SUP], May J Reed[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Kristen K Baumann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sarah J Holden[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jacob Raber[SUP] 3 4 [/SUP], William A Banks[SUP] 5 6 [/SUP], Michelle A Erickson[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]



Affiliations

Abstract

It is unclear whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which causes coronavirus disease 2019, can enter the brain. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 binds to cells via the S1 subunit of its spike protein. We show that intravenously injected radioiodinated S1 (I-S1) readily crossed the blood-brain barrier in male mice, was taken up by brain regions and entered the parenchymal brain space. I-S1 was also taken up by the lung, spleen, kidney and liver. Intranasally administered I-S1 also entered the brain, although at levels roughly ten times lower than after intravenous administration. APOE genotype and sex did not affect whole-brain I-S1 uptake but had variable effects on uptake by the olfactory bulb, liver, spleen and kidney. I-S1 uptake in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb was reduced by lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation. Mechanistic studies indicated that I-S1 crosses the blood-brain barrier by adsorptive transcytosis and that murine angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is involved in brain and lung uptake, but not in kidney, liver or spleen uptake.
 
Question - Whilst this is a mouse model, it does imply these infection mechanisms may be at play in humans and could account for the effects seen on the human brain and neurological system. Can anyone clarify if the vaccines target both S!/S2 of the spike or just S2, and which ones target which proteins? Many thanks.
 
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