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      Age-dependent appearance of SARS-CoV-2 entry cells in mouse chemosensory systems reflects COVID-19 anosmia and ageusia symptoms

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          Abstract

          COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a collective scientific effort to study its viral causing agent SARS-CoV-2. Research is focusing in particular on its infection mechanisms and on the associated-disease symptoms. Interestingly, this environmental pathogen directly affects the human chemosensory systems leading to anosmia and ageusia. Evidence for the presence of the cellular entry sites of the virus, the ACE2/TMPRSS2 proteins, has been reported in non-chemosensory cells in the rodent’s nose and mouth, missing a direct correlation between the symptoms reported in patients and the observed direct viral infection in human sensory cells. Here, mapping the gene and protein expression of ACE2/TMPRSS2 in the mouse olfactory and gustatory cells, we precisely identified the virus target cells to be of basal and sensory origin and we revealed their age-dependent appearance. Our results not only clarify human viral-induced sensory symptoms but also propose new investigative perspectives based on ACE2-humanized mouse models.

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          Author and article information

          Contributors
          (View ORCID Profile)
          (View ORCID Profile)
          Journal
          bioRxiv
          March 29 2021
          Article
          10.1101/2021.03.29.437530
          7875134d-4c6f-4d2c-a988-89594bea0045
          © 2021
          History

          Molecular medicine,Neurosciences
          Molecular medicine, Neurosciences

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