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Merck

Neuropilin-1 facilitates SARS-CoV-2 cell entry and infectivity.

Science (New York, N.Y.) (2020-10-22)
Ludovico Cantuti-Castelvetri, Ravi Ojha, Liliana D Pedro, Minou Djannatian, Jonas Franz, Suvi Kuivanen, Franziska van der Meer, Katri Kallio, Tuğberk Kaya, Maria Anastasina, Teemu Smura, Lev Levanov, Leonora Szirovicza, Allan Tobi, Hannimari Kallio-Kokko, Pamela Österlund, Merja Joensuu, Frédéric A Meunier, Sarah J Butcher, Martin Sebastian Winkler, Brit Mollenhauer, Ari Helenius, Ozgun Gokce, Tambet Teesalu, Jussi Hepojoki, Olli Vapalahti, Christine Stadelmann, Giuseppe Balistreri, Mikael Simons
PMID33082293
ABSTRACT

The causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). For many viruses, tissue tropism is determined by the availability of virus receptors and entry cofactors on the surface of host cells. In this study, we found that neuropilin-1 (NRP1), known to bind furin-cleaved substrates, significantly potentiates SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, an effect blocked by a monoclonal blocking antibody against NRP1. A SARS-CoV-2 mutant with an altered furin cleavage site did not depend on NRP1 for infectivity. Pathological analysis of olfactory epithelium obtained from human COVID-19 autopsies revealed that SARS-CoV-2 infected NRP1-positive cells facing the nasal cavity. Our data provide insight into SARS-CoV-2 cell infectivity and define a potential target for antiviral intervention.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description
25114
Sigma-Aldrich
Sodium citrate tribasic hydrate, ReagentPlus®, ≥99%
P9416
Sigma-Aldrich
TWEEN® 20, for molecular biology, viscous liquid
209139
Sigma-Aldrich
Silver nitrate, ACS reagent, ≥99.0%
X100
Sigma-Aldrich
Triton™ X-100, laboratory grade
646547
Supelco
Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride solution, 0.5 M, pH 7.0(aqueous solution; pH was adjusted with ammonium hydroxide)