Transcriptional landscape of human neuroblastoma cells in response to SARS-CoV-2

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly contagious, and the neurological symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 Infection have already been reported. However, the mechanisms underlying the effect of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on patients with central nervous system injuries remain unclear.

Methods: The high-throughput RNA sequencing was applied to analyze the transcriptomic changes in SK-N-SH cells after SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed to identify the functions of differentially expressed genes and related pathways.

Results: A total of 820 mRNAs were significantly altered, including 671 upregulated and 149 downregulated mRNAs (showing an increase of ≥ 2-fold or decrease to ≤ 0.5-fold, respectively; p ≤ 0.05). Moreover, we verified the significant induction of cytokines, chemokines, and their receptors, as well as the activation of NF-κB, p38, and Akt signaling pathways, in SK-N-SH by SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first time the transcriptional profiles of the host mRNAs involved in SARS-CoV-2 Infection of SK-N-SH cells have been reported. These findings provide novel insight into the pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 and might constitute a new approach for future prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2-induced central nervous system Infection.