{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,13]],"date-time":"2026-07-13T22:23:25Z","timestamp":1783981405609,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,13]],"date-time":"2024-06-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718236800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"NIH\/NCI","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1R15CA246430"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA246430"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"NIH\/NCI","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["1R15CA283490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA283490"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"UNC-Chapel Hill","award":["1R15CA246430"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA246430"]}]},{"name":"UNC-Chapel Hill","award":["1R15CA283490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA283490"]}]},{"name":"Lineberger Cancer Center","award":["1R15CA246430"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA246430"]}]},{"name":"Lineberger Cancer Center","award":["1R15CA283490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA283490"]}]},{"name":"Liberty University Center","award":["1R15CA246430"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA246430"]}]},{"name":"Liberty University Center","award":["1R15CA283490"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1R15CA283490"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health concern. Cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 depends on viral spike (S) proteins binding to cellular receptors (ACE2) and their subsequent priming by host cell proteases (TMPRSS2). Assessing effects of viral-induced host response factors and determining which cells are used by SARS-CoV-2 for entry might provide insights into viral transmission, add clarity to the virus\u2019 pathogenesis, and possibly reveal therapeutic targets. Mast cells (MCs) are ubiquitously expressed tissue cells that act as immune sentinels given their ability to react specifically to pathogens at environmental interfaces, such as in the lung. Several lines of evidence suggest a critical role for MCs in SARS-CoV-2 infections based on patients\u2019 mediator profiles, especially the \u201ccytokine storm\u201d responsible for most morbidity and mortality. In this pilot study, we demonstrated that human lung MCs (n = 3 donors) are a source of renin and that they upregulate the membrane receptor for SARS-CoV-2 (ACE2) as well as the protease required for cellular entry (TMPRSS2) under certain conditions. We hypothesized that infection of human MCs with SARS-CoV-2 may be a heretofore-unrecognized mechanism of viral pathogenesis, and further studies are required to assess this question.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms25126511","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,14]],"date-time":"2024-06-14T03:52:53Z","timestamp":1718337173000},"page":"6511","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Human Lung Mast Cells as a Possible Reservoir for Coronavirus: A Novel Unrecognized Mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 Immune-Mediated Pathology"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"given":"Rebecca","family":"Praetzel","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular and Cellular Sciences, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, VA 24502, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5431-4572","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chris","family":"Kepley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular and Cellular Sciences, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, VA 24502, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1111\/imr.12634","article-title":"Mast cells as sources of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors","volume":"282","author":"Mukai","year":"2018","journal-title":"Immunol. 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