The laboratory of Prof. Jay Gopalakrishnan, located at the Institute of Human Genetics develops brain-organoids, with which the scientists can investigate the impact of environmental substances, viruses, and bacteria on the development of the human brain in vitro.

Among other things, the researchers discovered that SARS-CoV-2 affects the cell bodies of nerve cells of the cortex, but not the neuronal stem cells itself, as is the case with the ZIKA virus.

After exposure to the brain organoids with SARS-CoV-2 and using high-resolution imaging, the authors were able to show a mislocalization of the TAU protein from axon to soma (nerve fiber to cell body) and hyperphosphorylation of the TAU protein, which probably leads to cell death. TAU is essential for the stabilization of nerve cells. Its dysfunction is, among other things, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

The scientists have published their study in the journal EMBO:
Anand Ramani, Lisa Müller, Philipp Niklas Ostermann, Elke Gabriel, Pranty Abida-Islam, Andreas Müller-Schiffmann, Aruljothi Mariappan, Olivier Goureau, Henning Gruell, Andreas Walker, Marcel Andrée, Sandra Hauka, Torsten Houwaart, Alexander Dilthey, Kai Wohlgemuth Heymut Omran, Florian Klein, Dagmar Wieczorek, Ortwin Adams, Jörg Timm, Carsten Korth Heiner Schaal, Jay Gopalakrishnan (2020). SARS-CoV-2 targets neurons of 3D human brain organoids. EMBO J 0:e2020106230

Source:
https://www.bionity.com/de/news/1167842/sars-cov-2-kann-das-zentrale-nervensystem-befallen.html