title: Analysis of ACE2 in polarized epithelial cells: surface expression and function as receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus.
abstract: The primary target of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is epithelial cells in the respiratory and intestinal tract. The cellular receptor for SARS-CoV, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), has been shown to be localized on the apical plasma membrane of polarized respiratory epithelial cells and to mediate infection from the apical side of these cells. Here, these results were confirmed and extended by including a colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2), a lung carcinoma cell line (Calu-3) and Vero E6 cells in our analysis. All three cell types expressed human ACE2 on the apical membrane domain and were infected via this route, as determined with vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes containing the S protein of SARS-CoV. In a histological analysis of the respiratory tract, ACE2 was detected in the trachea, main bronchus and alveoli, and occasionally also in the small bronchi. These data will help us to understand the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glende
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Falah
authors.affiliation: Institut für funktionelle und angewandte Anatomie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwegmann-Wessels
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiuxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Institut für funktionelle und angewandte Anatomie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tschernig
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongkui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Hassan Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Naim
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrler
mesh_terms: D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000818:Animals; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D016764:Cell Polarity; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000378:metabolism*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705307:ACE2 protein, human; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2