COVID-19 tissue atlases reveal SARS-CoV-2 pathology and cellular targets
- PMID: 33915569
- PMCID: PMC8919505
- DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03570-8
COVID-19 tissue atlases reveal SARS-CoV-2 pathology and cellular targets
Abstract
COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, can result in acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure1-4, but little is known about its pathophysiology. Here we generated single-cell atlases of 24 lung, 16 kidney, 16 liver and 19 heart autopsy tissue samples and spatial atlases of 14 lung samples from donors who died of COVID-19. Integrated computational analysis uncovered substantial remodelling in the lung epithelial, immune and stromal compartments, with evidence of multiple paths of failed tissue regeneration, including defective alveolar type 2 differentiation and expansion of fibroblasts and putative TP63+ intrapulmonary basal-like progenitor cells. Viral RNAs were enriched in mononuclear phagocytic and endothelial lung cells, which induced specific host programs. Spatial analysis in lung distinguished inflammatory host responses in lung regions with and without viral RNA. Analysis of the other tissue atlases showed transcriptional alterations in multiple cell types in heart tissue from donors with COVID-19, and mapped cell types and genes implicated with disease severity based on COVID-19 genome-wide association studies. Our foundational dataset elucidates the biological effect of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection across the body, a key step towards new treatments.
Figures
















Comment in
-
Single-cell atlases dissect tissue destruction by SARS-CoV-2.Nat Rev Immunol. 2021 Jun;21(6):343. doi: 10.1038/s41577-021-00564-5. Nat Rev Immunol. 2021. PMID: 33990788 Free PMC article.
Similar articles
-
A single-cell and spatial atlas of autopsy tissues reveals pathology and cellular targets of SARS-CoV-2.bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Feb 25:2021.02.25.430130. doi: 10.1101/2021.02.25.430130. bioRxiv. 2021. PMID: 33655247 Free PMC article. Preprint.
-
A molecular single-cell lung atlas of lethal COVID-19.Nature. 2021 Jul;595(7865):114-119. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03569-1. Epub 2021 Apr 29. Nature. 2021. PMID: 33915568 Free PMC article.
-
Tissue-based SARS-CoV-2 detection in fatal COVID-19 infections: Sustained direct viral-induced damage is not necessary to drive disease progression.Hum Pathol. 2021 Aug;114:110-119. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2021.04.012. Epub 2021 May 4. Hum Pathol. 2021. PMID: 33961839 Free PMC article.
-
[Histopathological features due to the SARS-CoV-2].Ann Pathol. 2021 Feb;41(1):9-22. doi: 10.1016/j.annpat.2020.12.009. Epub 2020 Dec 30. Ann Pathol. 2021. PMID: 33446414 Free PMC article. Review. French.
-
Lesions in the lungs of fatal corona virus disease Covid-19.Ann Anat. 2021 Mar;234:151657. doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151657. Epub 2020 Dec 3. Ann Anat. 2021. PMID: 33279630 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Defining mast cell differentiation and heterogeneity through single-cell transcriptomics analysis.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2022 Oct;150(4):739-747. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.08.011. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2022. PMID: 36205448 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Photochemical Identification of Auxiliary Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Host Entry Factors Using μMap.J Am Chem Soc. 2022 Sep 14;144(36):16604-16611. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c06806. Epub 2022 Sep 1. J Am Chem Soc. 2022. PMID: 36049228 Free PMC article.
-
Organotypic heterogeneity in microvascular endothelial cell responses in sepsis-a molecular treasure trove and pharmacological Gordian knot.Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Nov 9;10:1252021. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1252021. eCollection 2023. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023. PMID: 38020105 Free PMC article. Review.
-
A virological view of tenascin-C in infection.Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2023 Jan 1;324(1):C1-C9. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00333.2022. Epub 2022 Dec 2. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2023. PMID: 36458980 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Multimodality analysis confers a prognostic benefit of a T-cell infiltrated tumor microenvironment and peripheral immune status in patients with melanoma.J Immunother Cancer. 2022 Sep;10(9):e005052. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005052. J Immunother Cancer. 2022. PMID: 36175036 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Grants and funding
- WT_/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom
- R37 MH107649/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- K08 CA222663/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States
- HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States
- T32 GM007753/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States
- P30 DK046200/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States
- R01 AA017729/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States
- P30 CA013696/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States
- UH3 HL141797/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH107649/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 MH101244/MH/NIMH NIH HHS/United States
- R01 AA020744/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States
- R37 CA258829/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States
- U54 CA225088/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States
- U01 AA026933/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS/United States
- P30 DK043351/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States
- U01 HG009379/HG/NHGRI NIH HHS/United States
- DP2 CA247831/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical
Molecular Biology Databases
Miscellaneous