The accessible promoter-mediated supplementary effect of host factors provides new insight into the tropism of SARS-CoV-2

In the past year, the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Yet our understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 tropism mechanism is still insufficient. In this study, we examined the chromatin accessibility at the promoters of host factor genes (ACE2, TMPRSS2, NRP1, BSG, CTSL, and FURIN) in 14 tissue types, 23 tumor types, and 189 cell lines. We showed that the promoters of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were accessible in a tissue and cell-specific pattern, which is accordant with previous clinical research on SARS-CoV-2 tropism. We were able to further verify that type I interferon (IFN) could induce angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression in Caco-2 cells by enhancing the binding of HNF1A, the transcription factor of ACE2, to ACE2 promoter without changing chromatin accessibility. We then performed transcription factor (TF)-gene interactions network and pathway analyses and discovered that the TFs regulating host factor genes are enriched in pathways associated with viral infection. Finally, we established a novel model that suggests that open chromatin at the promoter mediates the host factors' supplementary effect and ensures SARS-CoV-2 entry. Our work uncovers the relationship between epigenetic regulation and SARS-CoV-2 tropism and provides clues for further investigation of COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Automated summary

In this study, the researchers investigated the chromatin accessibility at the promoters of host factor genes in various tissues, tumor types, and cell lines to understand the tropism mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. They found tissue and cell-specific patterns in the accessibility of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 promoters, consistent with previous clinical research. The study also revealed the role of type I interferon in inducing ACE2 expression by enhancing the binding of HNF1A, a transcription factor, to the ACE2 promoter.