SARS-CoV-2 in the pancreas and the impaired islet function in COVID-19 patients <subtitle>SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs islet function</subtitle>

Ningfei Ji; Mingshun Zhang; Liang Ren; Yunyun Wang; Bicheng Hu; Jie Xiang; Yingyun Gong; Chaojie Wu; Guoqiang Qu; Wenqiu Ding; Zhiqiang Yin; Shan Li; Zhengxia Wang; Lianzheng Zhou; Xueqin Chen; Yuan Ma; Jinhai Tang; Yun Liu; Liang Liu; Mao Huang

doi:10.1080/22221751.2022.2059400

Emerging Microbes and Infections (Dec 2022)

SARS-CoV-2 in the pancreas and the impaired islet function in COVID-19 patients <subtitle>SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs islet function</subtitle>

Ningfei Ji,
Mingshun Zhang,
Liang Ren,
Yunyun Wang,
Bicheng Hu,
Jie Xiang,
Yingyun Gong,
Chaojie Wu,
Guoqiang Qu,
Wenqiu Ding,
Zhiqiang Yin,
Shan Li,
Zhengxia Wang,
Lianzheng Zhou,
Xueqin Chen,
Yuan Ma,
Jinhai Tang,
Yun Liu,
Liang Liu,
Mao Huang

Affiliations

Ningfei Ji: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Mingshun Zhang: Key Laboratory of Antibody Techniques, National Health Commission, Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Liang Ren: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Yunyun Wang: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Bicheng Hu: Department of Laboratory, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Jie Xiang: Department of Laboratory, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Yingyun Gong: Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Chaojie Wu: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Guoqiang Qu: Hubei Chongxin Judicial Expertise Center, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Wenqiu Ding: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Zhiqiang Yin: Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Shan Li: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Zhengxia Wang: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Lianzheng Zhou: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Xueqin Chen: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Yuan Ma: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Jinhai Tang: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Yun Liu: Department of Medical Informatics, School of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
Liang Liu: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Mao Huang: Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2059400
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1115 – 1125

Abstract

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common underlying diseases that may aggravates COVID-19. In the present study, we explored islet function, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and pathological changes in the pancreas of patients with COVID-19. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs) and the C-peptide release test demonstrated a decrease in glucose-stimulated C-peptide secretory capacity and an increase in HbA1c levels in patients with COVID-19. The prediabetic conditions appeared to be more significant in the severe group than in the moderate group. SARS-CoV-2 receptors (ACE2, CD147, TMPRSS2 and neuropilin-1) were expressed in pancreatic tissue. In addition to SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein and virus RNA, coronavirus-like particles were present in the autophagolysosomes of pancreatic acinar cells of a patient with COVID-19. Furthermore, the expression and distribution of various proteins in pancreatic islets of patients with COVID-19 were altered. These data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 in the pancreas may directly or indirectly impair islet function.

Published in Emerging Microbes and Infections

ISSN: 2222-1751 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Science: Microbiology
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/temi

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