Cited by 266SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesPluripotent Stem Cells Research

Three-dimensional human alveolar stem cell culture models reveal infection response to SARS-CoV-2

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Youk, Jeonghwan, Kim, Taewoo, Evans, Kelly V., Jeong, Young-Il, Hur, Yongsuk, Hong, Seon Pyo, Kim, Je Hyoung, Yi, Kijong +13 more·2020·Cell Stem Cell

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the cause of a present pandemic, infects human lung alveolar type 2 (hAT2) cells. Characterizing pathogenesis is crucial for developing vaccines and therapeutics. However, the lack of models mirroring the cellular physiology and pathology of hAT2 cells limits the study. Here, we develop a feeder-free, long-term, three-dimensional (3D) culture technique for hAT2 cells derived from primary human lung tissue and investigate infection response to SARS-CoV-2. By imaging-based analysis and single-cell transcriptome profiling, we reveal rapid viral replication and the increased expression of interferon-associated genes and proinflammatory genes in infected hAT2 cells, indicating a robust endogenous innate immune response. Further tracing of viral mutations acquired during transmission identifies full infection of individual cells effectively from a single viral entry. Our study provides deep insights into the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and the application of defined 3D hAT2 cultures as models for respiratory diseases.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.stem.2020.10.004

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  • Alveolospheres have been instrumental in providing key insights into alveolar regeneration, epithelial-mesenchymal cross talk, and viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2.

    “They have been particularly instrumental in providing key insights into alveolar regeneration, epithelial-mesenchymal cross talk and more recently of viral infections, e.g. SARS-CoV-2 (Katsura et al., 2020; Youk et al., 2020).”

    From Pulmonary fibrosis: Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (2023) · cites this paper as Youk et al., 2020

  • Human alveolar organoids are derived from AEC2s.

    “Human alveolar organoids are derived from AEC2s and depending on the culture conditions, AEC2s can give rise to organoids alone (Katsura et al., 2020; J. H. Kim et al., 2021; Youk et al., 2020), or require the presence of a mesenchymal feeder layer (Barkauskas et al., 2013), and can differentiate into alveolar epithelial type 1 (AEC1) cells.”

    From Pulmonary fibrosis: Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (2023) · cites this paper as Youk et al., 2020

  • Depending on culture conditions, AEC2s can give rise to organoids alone.

    “depending on the culture conditions, AEC2s can give rise to organoids alone (Katsura et al., 2020; J. H. Kim et al., 2021; Youk et al., 2020)”

    From Pulmonary fibrosis: Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies (2023) · cites this paper as Youk et al., 2020

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Authors
Youk, J., Kim, T., Evans, K. V., Jeong, Y.-I., Hur, Y., Hong, S. P., Kim, J. H., Yi, K., Kim, S. Y., Na, K. J., Bleazard, T., Kim, H. M., Fellows, M., Mahbubani, K. T., Saeb-Parsy, K., Kim, S. Y., Kim, Y. T., Koh, G. Y., Choi, B.-S., Ju, Y. S., & Lee, J.-H.
Affiliations
  • Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KR)
  • Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (GB)
  • Korea National Institute of Health (KR)
  • Institute for Basic Science (KR)
  • Seoul National University Hospital (KR)
  • National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (GB)
  • AstraZeneca (United Kingdom) (GB)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Kim, Young Tae
  • Koh, Gou Young
  • Choi, Byeong-Sun
  • Ju, Young Seok
  • Lee, Joo-Hyeon
Venue
Cell Stem Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-12
Volume
27
Issue
6
Pages
905-919.e10
ISSN
  • 1875-9777 (ISSN-L)
  • 1934-5909
OpenAlex
W3094609450
Cited by
266
References
92
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 83 · 2020: 5
FWCI
6.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell stem cell (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Apollo
Funders
  • Institute for Basic Science
  • Royal Society
  • Korea Health Industry Development Institute
  • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
  • College of Medicine, Seoul National University
  • Human Frontier Science Program
  • European Research Council
  • National Research Foundation of Korea
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, alveolar type II cells, 3D cell culture, feeder-free culture, lung stem cells, viral infection response, innate immune response, interferon genes, pro-inflammatory genes, viral replication, single-cell transcriptomics, viral mutations, COVID-19 pathogenesis
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Culture Media, Humans, Interferons, Models, Biological, Pulmonary Alveoli, Stem Cells, Virus Replication, Cell Culture Techniques, Virus Internalization, Transcriptome

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