Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42230819›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

BST-2 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 egress at intracellular membranes and is neutralized by ORF7a.

Adam Smith, Xinhong Dong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Adam SmithDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology, and Physiology, Center for AIDS Health Disparity Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA.
Xinhong DongDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology, and Physiology, Center for AIDS Health Disparity Research, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, 37208, USA. xdong@mmc.edu.

Funding

The RCMI Program in Health Disparities Research at Meharry Medical College - SupplementU54MD007586 · NIMHD · MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE · PI Samuel Evans Adunyah · 2017 to 2026
$48.2M
Tennessee CFAR: Implementation of Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Care with Youth with HIV in Memphis, TNP30AI110527 · NIAID · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI John Koethe · 2015 to 2026
$27.5M
HIV interactions with host cell proteins in particle releaseR01AI157764 · NIAID · MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE · PI DONG, XINHONG · 2021 to 2024
$1.5M
NIAID NIH HHS P30 AI110527NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI157764NIH HHS R01AI157764NIMHD NIH HHS U54 MD007586
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST-2, or tetherin) is an interferon-inducible host restriction factor that inhibits the release of enveloped viruses by tethering nascent virions to cellular membranes. While its antiviral function is well established in retroviral systems, its role in SARS-CoV-2 egress remains unclear. Here, we used a virus-like particle (VLP) system composed of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins M, E, and N to investigate the impact of BST-2 on viral particle release. BST-2 significantly inhibited VLP release in HEK293T and Calu-3 lung epithelial cells. Confocal microscopy revealed that BST-2 colocalizes with viral structural proteins at the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), the main site of coronavirus assembly. We next evaluated the roles of the SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins ORF3a and ORF7a in overcoming this restriction. ORF3a localized to endolysosomal compartments and promoted VLP release through a BST-2-independent mechanism, without altering BST-2 expression or localization. In contrast, ORF7a colocalized with both BST-2 and ERGIC markers and restored VLP release by promoting BST-2 degradation. Notably, ORF7a also relieved BST-2-mediated restriction of HIV-1 VLP release, suggesting a conserved antagonistic function. These findings demonstrate BST-2 as an intracellular inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 particle release and establish ORF7a as viral accessory antagonist that neutralizes this host defense.

Indexed as

Antigens, CDCOVID-19Intracellular MembranesSARS-CoV-2Viral ProteinsVirus ReleaseBone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2Endoplasmic ReticulumGPI-Linked ProteinsHEK293 CellsHumansViral Regulatory and Accessory ProteinsViroporin ProteinsAntigens, CDBone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2BST2 protein, humanGPI-Linked ProteinsORF3a protein, SARS-CoV-2ORF7a protein, SARS-CoV-2Viral ProteinsViral Regulatory and Accessory ProteinsViroporin ProteinsBST-2ERGICIntracellular membranesORF7aSARS-CoV-2Viral egress

Identifiers

PMID42230819
PMCPMC13470021

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.