PreprintCited by 116COVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchBarrier Structure and Function Studies

Pericyte-specific vascular expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 – implications for microvascular inflammation and hypercoagulopathy in COVID-19

He, Liqun, Mäe, Maarja Andaloussi, Muhl, Lars, Sun, Ying, Pietilä, Riikka, Nahar, Khayrun, Liébanas, Elisa Vázquez, Fagerlund, Malin Jonsson +24 more·2020·bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Accumulating clinical observations implicate vascular inflammation as an underlying cause of coagulopathy in severely ill COVID-19 patients and it was recently suggested that SARS-CoV-2 virus particles infect endothelial cells. Here, we show that endothelial cells do not express angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. Instead, pericytes and microvascular smooth muscle cells express ACE2 in an organotypic manner. Pericyte deficiency leads to increased endothelial expression and release of Von Willebrand factor and intravascular platelet and fibrin aggregation, suggesting that pericytes limit endothelial pro-thrombotic responses. That pericytes and not endothelial cells express ACE2 may provide important clues to the pathology of COVID-19, as pericytes are normally shielded behind an endothelial barrier and may get infected only when this barrier is compromised by COVID-19 risk factors.

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  1. 43 Sardu, C. et al. Is COVID-19 and endothelial disease? Clinical and basic evidence. Researchgate , doi:DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17295.74407 (2020). · DOI

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Authors
He, L., Mäe, M. A., Muhl, L., Sun, Y., Pietilä, R., Nahar, K., Liébanas, E. V., Fagerlund, M. J., Oldner, A., Liu, J., Genové, G., Zhang, L., Xie, Y., Leptidis, S., Mocci, G., Stritt, S., Osman, A., Anisimov, A., Hemanthakumar, K. A., Räsänen, M., Mirabeau, O., Hansson, E., Björkegren, J., Vanlandewijck, M., Blomgren, K., Mäkinen, T., Peng, X.-R., Arnold, T. D., Alitalo, K., Eriksson, L. I., Lendahl, U., & Betsholtz, C.
Affiliations
  • Uppsala University (SE)
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
  • Shaanxi Normal University (CN)
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Betsholtz, Christer
Venue
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2020-05-12
OpenAlex
W3025656246
Cited by
116
References
99
Citations by year
2024: 7 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 30 · 2018: 2
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • AstraZeneca
  • European Molecular Biology Organization (ALTF 86-2017)
  • Familjen Erling-Perssons Stiftelse
  • Indiana Corn Marketing Council
  • European Commission
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (STR 1538/1-1)
  • Fondation Leducq
  • Cancerfonden
  • Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
  • Vetenskapsrådet
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Barrier Structure and Function Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, pericytes, microvascular inflammation, hypercoagulability, COVID-19 pandemic, endothelial cells, von Willebrand factor, platelet aggregation, organotypic co-culture, viral receptor expression

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