AHR signaling is induced by infection with coronaviruses

REMES-LENICOV, FEDERICO; PALETTA, ANA; DUGOUR, ANDREA V.; CEBALLOS, ANA; LI, ZHAORONG; ELIZALDE, MERCEDES; MOSSMAN, KAREN L.; BARQUERO, ANDREA A.; QUINTANA, FRANCISCO J.; GIOVANNONI, FEDERICO; DÁVOLA, MARÍA E.; ASHKAR, ALI A.; FIGUEROA, JUAN M.; GARCIA, CYBELE C.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

Springer Nature

Año: 2021 vol. 12

2041-1723

Coronavirus infection in humans is usually associated to respiratory tract illnesses, ranging in severity from mild to life-threatening respiratory failure. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) was recently identified as a host factor for Zika and dengue viruses; AHR antagonists boost antiviral immunity, decrease viral titers and ameliorate Zika-induced pathology in vivo. Here we report that AHR is activated by infection with different coronaviruses, potentially impacting antiviral immunity and lung epithelial cells. Indeed, the analysis of single-cell RNA-seq from lung tissue detected increased expression of AHR and AHR transcriptional targets, suggesting AHR signaling activation in SARS-CoV-2-infected epithelial cells from COVID-19 patients. Moreover, we detected an association between AHR expression and viral load in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Finally, we found that the pharmacological inhibition of AHR suppressed the replication in vitro of one of the causative agents of the common cold, HCoV-229E, and the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, these findings suggest that AHR activation is a common strategy used by coronaviruses to evade antiviral immunity and promote viral replication, which may also contribute to lung pathology. Future studies should further evaluate the potential of AHR as a target for host-directed antiviral therapy.