SARS CORONAVIRUS COULD CAUSE MULTI-ORGAN INFECTION
- VernacularTitle:SARS冠状病毒致多器官感染的在体研究
- Author:
Jingmin ZHAO
;
Guangde ZHOU
;
Yanlin SUN
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
severe acute respiratory syndrome;
coronavirus;
multi organ infection;
target cells;
in situ hybridization
- From:
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army
2001;0(08):-
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the target cells of SARS coronavirus infection in vivo and to provide the evidence of multi organ injuries produced by SARS coronavirus infection. Methods Three biotin labeling oligonucleotide probes were synthesized according to the published gene sequence of SARS coronavirus. The location, distributtion and quantity of SARS coronavirus in 2 autopsy cases of SARS were studied by in situ hybridization and electron microscopic examination. Results SARS coronavirus particles were identified in multiple organs. In lungs, SARS coronaviruses were located predominantly in the cytoplasm of bronchiolar and alveolar epithelial cells, in a part of macrophages and endothelial cells as well as a few infiltrated lymphocytes. In situ hybridization showed that in target cells SARS coronavirus distribution presented a cytoplasmic or inclusive pattern, and the mean number of positive cells in the pulmonary tissue was 80?25 per 200? field. Electron microscopic examination showed that the coronaviral particles were 100～150 nm in diameter, with low density electron cores with halo or garland envelopes. About 15% of renal tubular epithelial cells harbored SARS coronavirus, and a few parenchymal cells and sinusoid capillary endothelial cells of adrenal glands were hybridization positive. In the gastro intestinal tract, SARS coronaviruses were seen in the cytoplasm of mucosal and crypt epithelial cells, mostly in 2/3 of superficial mocosa. Under both electron microscopy and in situ hybridization observation, SARS coronaviruses were found focally distributed in some cardiomyocytes. The SARS coronavirus positive particles were also noted in macrophages/histocytes, sinusoid endothelial cells, as well as a few lymphocytes in thoracic and celiac lymph nodes. In addition, coronavirus particles were also seen in a few testicular epithelial cells and Leydig's cells. Conclusion SARS coronavirus could attack multiple target cells, implicating that SARS might cause multi organ damages, with lungs as the predominant organ of injury.
