Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40103011›Full record

ArticleStem cells (Dayton, Ohio)2025

SARS-CoV2 infection triggers inflammatory conditions and astrogliosis-related gene expression in long-term human cortical organoids.

Mathilde Colinet, Ioana Chiver, Antonela Bonafina, Gérald Masset, Daniel Almansa, Emmanuel Di Valentin, Jean-Claude Twizere, Laurent Nguyen, Ira Espuny-Camacho

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mathilde ColinetLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Ioana ChiverLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Antonela BonafinaLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Gérald MassetLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Daniel AlmansaLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Emmanuel Di ValentinGIGA Viral Vector Platform, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Jean-Claude TwizereLaboratory of Viral Interactomes, Unit of Molecular Biology of Diseases, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Laurent NguyenLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.
Ira Espuny-CamachoLaboratory of Molecular Regulation of Neurogenesis, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège 4000, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-2356-2159

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

SARS-CoV2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is frequently associated with neurological manifestations. Despite the presence of mild to severe CNS-related symptoms in a cohort of patients, there is no consensus whether the virus can infect directly brain tissue or if the symptoms in patients are a consequence of peripheral infectivity of the virus. Here, we use long-term human stem cell-derived cortical organoids to assess SARS-CoV2 infectivity of brain cells and unravel the cell-type tropism and its downstream pathological effects. Our results show consistent and reproducible low levels of SARS-CoV2 infection of astrocytes, deep projection neurons, upper callosal neurons, and inhibitory neurons in 6 months of human cortical organoids. Interestingly, astrocytes showed the highest infection rate among all infected cell populations which led to changes in their morphology and upregulation of SERPINA3, CD44, and S100A10 astrogliosis markers. Further, transcriptomic analysis revealed overall changes in expression of genes related to cell metabolism, astrogliosis and, inflammation and further, upregulation of cell survival pathways. Thus, local and minor infectivity of SARS-CoV2 in the brain may induce widespread adverse effects and lead to the resilience of dysregulated neurons and astrocytes within an inflammatory environment.

Indexed as

AstrocytesCerebral CortexCOVID-19GliosisInflammationOrganoidsSARS-CoV-2HumansNeuronsastrogliosishuman cortical organoidsinflammatory and cell survival mechanismsSARS-CoV2 brain infectivity

Identifiers

PMID40103011
PMCPMC12121356

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.