SARS-CoV-2 Establishes a Productive Infection in Hepatoma and Glioblastoma Multiforme Cell Lines

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged at the end of 2019 and rapidly caused a pandemic that led to the death of >6 million people due to hypercoagulation and cytokine storm. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 triggers a wide array of pathologies, including liver dysfunction and neurological disorders. It remains unclear if these events are due to direct infection of the respective tissues or result from systemic inflammation. Here, we explored the possible infection of hepatic and CNS cell lines by SARS-CoV-2. We show that even moderate expression levels of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are sufficient for productive infection. SARS-CoV-2 infects hepatoma Huh7.5 and HepG2 cells but not non-transformed liver progenitor or hepatocyte/cholangiocyte-like HepaRG cells. However, exposure to the virus causes partial dedifferentiation of HepaRG cells. SARS-CoV-2 can also establish efficient replication in some low-passage, high-grade glioblastoma cell lines. In contrast, embryonal primary astrocytes or neuroblastoma cells did not support replication of the virus. Glioblastoma cell permissiveness is associated with defects in interferon production. Overall, these results suggest that liver dysfunction during COVID-19 is not due to infection of these tissues by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, tumors may potentially serve as reservoirs for the virus during infection.