PreprintCited by 63SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesAnimal Virus Infections Studies

The N-terminal domain of spike glycoprotein mediates SARS-CoV-2 infection by associating with L-SIGN and DC-SIGN

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Soh, Wai Tuck, Liu, Yafei, Nakayama, Emi E., Ono, Chikako, Torii, Shiho, Nakagami, Hironori, Matsuura, Yoshiharu, Shioda, Tatsuo +1 more·2020·bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

The widespread occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 has had a profound effect on society and a vaccine is currently being developed. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the primary host cell receptor that interacts with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Although pneumonia is the main symptom in severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the expression levels of ACE2 in the lung is low, suggesting the presence of another receptor for the spike protein. In order to identify the additional receptors for the spike protein, we screened a receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from the lung cDNA library. We cloned L-SIGN as a specific receptor for the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The RBD of the spike protein did not bind to L-SIGN. In addition, not only L-SIGN but also DC-SIGN, a closely related C-type lectin receptor to L-SIGN, bound to the NTD of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Importantly, cells expressing L-SIGN and DC-SIGN were both infected by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, L-SIGN and DC-SIGN induced membrane fusion by associating with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Serum antibodies from infected patients and a patient-derived monoclonal antibody against NTD inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection of L-SIGN or DC-SIGN expressing cells. Our results highlight the important role of NTD in SARS-CoV-2 dissemination through L-SIGN and DC-SIGN and the significance of having anti-NTD neutralizing antibodies in antibody-based therapeutics.

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Authors
Soh, W. T., Liu, Y., Nakayama, E. E., Ono, C., Torii, S., Nakagami, H., Matsuura, Y., Shioda, T., & Arase, H.
Affiliations
  • The University of Osaka (JP)
  • Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, The University of Osaka (JP)
Corresponding author
Arase, Hisashi
Venue
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2020-11-05
OpenAlex
W3097426086
Cited by
61
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 3
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (19fk0108161h0001)
  • Kishimoto Foundation
  • Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (JP18H05279, JP19H04808)
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18H05279, 19H03478)
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 › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, spike protein, N-terminal domain, L-SIGN, DC-SIGN, C-type lectin receptors, viral entry receptor, membrane fusion, neutralizing antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, pulmonary infection, therapeutic antibodies

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