Department of Neuroscience, Ophthalmology Unit, University of Padova , Padova, Italy.
Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research , List, Germany.
Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2020 Jul 3;28(5):735-738. doi: 10.1080/09273948.2020.1772314. Epub 2020 Jun 26.
The spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 interact with ACE2 or basigin/CD147 receptors, regulating human-to-human transmissions of COVID-19 together with serine protease TMPRSS2. The expression of these receptors on the ocular surface is unknown.
Gene expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptors was investigated in conjunctival epithelial cell samples and in ex-vivo cornea samples using microarray or transcriptome sequencing.
ACE2 is expressed in conjunctival samples at a low level, while BSG and TMPRSS2 are expressed at intermediate levels in both conjunctiva and cornea. Other receptors such as ANPEP, AGTR2 are expressed at low level in the conjunctiva. Two RNA editing enzymes involved in antiviral responses, APOBEC3A, and ADAR-1 were also highly expressed.
The ocular surface may represent an entry point for the SARS-CoV-2 in the human body. The conjunctiva and the cornea can adopt antiviral countermeasures which may explain the low prevalence of eye involvement.
SARS-CoV-2 的刺突蛋白与 ACE2 或 basigin/CD147 受体相互作用，与丝氨酸蛋白酶 TMPRSS2 一起调节 COVID-19 的人际传播。这些受体在眼表面的表达情况尚不清楚。
使用微阵列或转录组测序研究结膜上皮细胞样本和离体角膜样本中 SARS-CoV-2 受体的基因表达。
ACE2 在结膜样本中的表达水平较低，而 BSG 和 TMPRSS2 在结膜和角膜中的表达水平中等。其他受体，如 ANPEP、AGTR2 在结膜中的表达水平较低。两种参与抗病毒反应的 RNA 编辑酶 APOBEC3A 和 ADAR-1 也高度表达。
眼表面可能是 SARS-CoV-2 进入人体的切入点。结膜和角膜可以采取抗病毒对策，这可以解释眼部受累的低发生率。
