Open AccessSARS-CoV-2: The Road Less Traveled—From the Respiratory Mucosa to the Brain
Author(s) -
Jayamuruga Pandian Arunachalam,
U R Anoop,
Kavita Verma,
Rahini Rajendran,
Subbulakshmi Chidambaram
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.1c00030
Subject(s) - brainstem , respiratory system , respiratory mucosa , neurovascular bundle , olfactory mucosa , medicine , pathology , connective tissue , anatomy , neuroscience , biology , olfactory system
Neurological manifestations have been reported in COVID-19; however, the route used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter the brain is still under debate. Recent studies have focused on the olfactory route. SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins were also detected in the glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves originating from the lower brainstem and in isolated cells of the brainstem. Our proof of concept in vivo real-time imaging study of mice using an indocyanine green dye indicated that the neurovascular component of the connective tissue of the respiratory mucosa can also provide an alternate route to the brain.