After more than 2 years since the emergence of COVID-19, the pandemic is still not under control and many countries struggle with ever-increasing infection rates. Based on reports of COVID-19-associated conjunctivitis [1] along with evidence for ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA and protein expression in the conjunctival epithelium [2], the eye was proposed as a potential viral entry site.

Accordingly, Coroneo et al. argued for the eye to play a significant role in transmission and proposed an underappreciation of the recommended eye protection as a potential missing key in fighting the pandemic [3]. Unfortunately, functional evidence on the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the ocular surface is scarce.

To address this, we generated primary cultures of conjunctival epithelial cells using impression cytology from healthy subjects, treated the cultures with different concentrations of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and monitored the expression of relevant cytokines via qRT-PCR. Ten healthy subjects with a mean age of 29 ± 2 years [7 males (70%); 3 females (30%)] with no apparent or documented ocular pathologies were included.

Source - Nature

Share