Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and COVID-19 vaccines focus on its spike protein. However, in addition to facilitating the membrane fusion and viral entry, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein promotes cell growth signaling in human lung vascular cells, and patients who have died of COVID-19 have thickened pulmonary vascular walls, linking the spike protein to a fatal disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In addition to SARS-CoV spike proteins, gp120, the viral membrane fusion protein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has been reported to promote cell signaling, and long-term surviving HIV-positive patients have a high incidence of developing PAH. This article describes the findings of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein affecting lung vascular cells and explains how the spike protein possibly increases the incidence of PAH. Since the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein will be administered to millions of people as COVID-19 vaccines, it is critical to understand the biological effects of this protein on human cells to ensure that it does not promote long-term adverse health consequences.
Highlights
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [1,2]
The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein consists of two subunits: Subunit 1 (S1) that contains the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor-binding domain (RBD) and Subunit 2 (S2) that participates in viral cell membrane fusion [3,6]
* Significantly different from the 0-min control at p < 0.05 (Taken from Suzuki et al [10]). These results demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein without the rest of the virus can elicit cell signaling—the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)
Summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [1,2]. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein consists of two subunits: Subunit 1 (S1) that contains the ACE2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and Subunit 2 (S2) that participates in viral cell membrane fusion [3,6]. Since it is a well-conserved and exposed region of the virus, the spike protein has been used as the molecule to acquire immunity in the COVID-19 vaccines. In addition to facilitating the viral entry and serving as the antigen for the vaccines, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein elicits cell signaling in human host cells without the rest of the virus [10]. We conclude that it is critical to understand the biological actions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in affecting human cells and possibly promoting long-term adverse health consequences, given that this protein will be administered to millions and possibly billions of people as vaccines
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
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 call