Abstract
The ongoing pandemic due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has so far infected about 2.42 × 107 (as at 27 August 2020) subjects with more than 820,000 deaths. It is the third zoonotic coronavirus-dependent outbreak in the last twenty years and represents a major infective threat for public health worldwide. A main aspect of the infection, in analogy to other viral infections, is the so-called “cytokine storm”, an inappropriate molecular response to virus spread which plays major roles in tissue and organ damage. Immunological therapies, including vaccines and humanized monoclonal antibodies, have been proposed as major strategies for prevention and treatment of the disease. Accordingly, a detailed mechanistic knowledge of the molecular events with which the virus infects cells and induces an immunological response appears necessary. In this review, we will report details of the initial process of SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry with major emphasis on the maturation of the spike protein. Then, a particular focus will be devoted to describe the possible mechanisms by which dendritic cells, a major cellular component of innate and adaptive immune responses, may play a role in the spread of the virus in the human body and in the clinical evolution of the disease.
Highlights
The first report describing a human infection due to a coronavirus was published in 1965 in the British Journal of Medicine [1]
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of Covid-19 outbreak and poses a terrible threat to global health
One of the most important strategies for disease containment and prevention is considered the development of vaccine(s) able to induce an immune response against viral proteins that play a key role in the infection
Summary
The first report describing a human infection due to a coronavirus was published in 1965 in the British Journal of Medicine [1]. Key steps of SARS-CoV-2 infection are: (i) identification of target cells; (ii) S protein maturation and; S2 plays a major role in the process of fusion between virus envelope and the membrane of the (iii) virus cell entry. All these phases have been extensively investigated, numerous target cell that allows entry of the virus genetic material. The wide cellular expression of furin (and of proteases belonging to the same family) allows the pre-activation of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 on the surface of numerous ACE2-positive cell types, increasing virus transmissibility [22].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
