Macrophages only sense infectious SARS-CoV-2 when they express sufficient ACE2 to permit viral entry, where rapid cytokine responses then limit viral replication.
L. I. Labzin, K. Y. Chew, K. Eschke, X. Wang, T. Esposito, C. J. Stocks, J. Rae, R. Patrick, H. Mostafavi, B. Hill, T. Yordanov, C. L. Holley, S. Emming, S. Fritzlar, F. L. Mordant, , K. Schroder
The paper shows that ACE2-expressing macrophages allow SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication, triggering anti-viral responses, while ACE2-negative macrophages do not support viral entry or cytokine release.
bioRxiv · Mar 22, 2022 · PreprintImmunology