Differential roles of RIG-Ⅰ like receptors in SARS-CoV-2 infection

作者：Duo-Meng Yang; Ting-Ting Geng; Andrew G.Harrison; Peng-Hua Wang

来源：Military Medical Research, 2022, 9(02): 262-264.

Retinoic acid-inducible gene Ⅰ (RIG-Ⅰ) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) sense viral RNA and activate antiviral immune responses.Herein we investigate their functions in human epithelial cells,the primary and initial target of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).A deficiency in MDA5,RIG-Ⅰ or mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) enhanced viral replication.The expression of the type I/III interferon(IFN) during infection was impaired in MDA5–/– and MAVS–/–,but not in RIG-Ⅰ–/–,when compared to wild type (WT) cells.The mRNA level of full-length angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2),the cellular entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2,was approximately 2.5-fold higher in RIG-Ⅰ–/– than WT cells.These data demonstrate MDA5 as the predominant SARS-CoV-2 sensor,IFN-independent induction of ACE2 and anti-SARS-CoV-2 role of RIG-Ⅰ in epithelial cells.