Severe SARS-CoV-2 Appears to Infect Coronary Vessels
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 5, 2023 -- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seems to infect coronary vessels, inducing plaque inflammation, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in Nature Cardiovascular Research.
Noting that patients with COVID-19 infection present an increased risk for ischemic cardiovascular complications up to one year after infection, Natalia Eberhardt, Ph.D., from New York University School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues examined whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the coronary vasculature and attendant atherosclerotic plaques.
The researchers reported that in coronary lesions taken at autopsy from severe COVID-19 cases, SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detectable and replicated. Plaque macrophages were targeted by SARS-CoV-2, and they exhibited stronger tropism for arterial lesions than adjacent perivascular fat, correlating with levels of macrophage infiltration. Increased SARS-CoV-2 entry was seen in cholesterol-loaded primary macrophages, which was partly dependent on neuropilin-1. A robust inflammatory response was induced by SARS-CoV-2 in cultured macrophages and human atherosclerotic vascular explants, with secretion of cytokines that trigger cardiovascular events.
"Our study highlights the hyperinflammatory response orchestrated by SARS-CoV-2-infected plaque macrophages and foam cells as a mechanistic link between infection of atherosclerotic coronary vessels and acute cardiovascular complications of COVID-19," the authors write.
The laboratory of one author received research funding from several pharmaceutical companies.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2023
Further Support and Information on COVID-19
Read this next
Health Care Spending Growth Projected to Outpace GDP to 2032
THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 -- Health care spending growth is projected to outpace that of the gross domestic product (GDP) during the coming decade, according to a study published...
Some Environmental Stressors Linked to Increased Cardiovascular Risk
THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 -- Several climate change-related environmental stressors are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, according to a review published online June 12...
Residual Risk Seen for Death, Postacute Sequelae in Third Year After COVID-19 Hospitalization
THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 -- For individuals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the risks for death and postacute sequelae of COVID-19...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.