The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces long-term transcriptional perturbations of mitochondrial metabolic genes, causes cardiac fibrosis, and reduces myocardial contractile in obese mice

• Main Authors: Xiaoling Cao (Author), Vi Nguyen (Author), Joseph Tsai (Author), Chao Gao (Author), Yan Tian (Author), Yuping Zhang (Author), Wayne Carver (Author), Hippokratis Kiaris (Author), Taixing Cui (Author), Wenbin Tan (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2023-08-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2212-8778; 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101756
• Keywords: COVID-19; Cardiomyopathy; Post-acute sequelae of CoV-2; Obesity; Mitochondria; Respiratory chain complex; Internal medicine; RC31-1245
• Source: Molecular Metabolism, Vol 74, Iss , Pp 101756- (2023)

Background: As the pandemic evolves, post-acute sequelae of CoV-2 (PASC) including cardiovascular manifestations have emerged as a new health threat. This study aims to study whether the Spike protein plus obesity can exacerbate PASC-related cardiomyopathy. Methods: A Spike protein-pseudotyped (Spp) virus with the proper surface tropism of SARS-CoV-2 was developed for viral entry assay in vitro and administration into high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. The systemic viral loads and cardiac transcriptomes were analyzed at 2 and 24 h, 3, 6, and 24 weeks post introducing (wpi) Spp using RNA-seq or real time RT-PCR. Echocardiography was used to monitor cardiac functions. Results: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol enhanced viral uptake in endothelial cells, macrophages, and cardiomyocyte-like H9C2 cells. Selective cardiac and adipose viral depositions were observed in HFD mice but not in normal-chow-fed mice. The cardiac transcriptional signatures in HFD mice at 3, 6, and 24 wpi showed systemic suppression of mitochondria respiratory chain genes including ATP synthases and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide:ubiquinone oxidoreductase gene members, upregulation of stress pathway-related crucial factors such as nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A, and increases in expression of glucose metabolism-associated genes. As compared with the age-matched HFD control mice, cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening were significantly decreased, while left ventricular end-systolic diameter and volume were significantly elevated, and cardiac fibrosis was increased in HFD mice at 24 wpi. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that the Spike protein could induce long-term transcriptional suppression of mitochondria metabolic genes and cause cardiac fibrosis and myocardial contractile impairment in obese mice, providing mechanistic insights to PASC-related cardiomyopathy.