{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein induces cell apoptosis in rat taste buds.
{Author}: Yamamoto T;Koyama Y;Ujita T;Sawada E;Kishimoto N;Seo K;
{Journal}: J Dent Sci
{Volume}: 18
{Issue}: 1
{Year}: Jan 2023
{Factor}: 3.719
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.jds.2022.08.016
{Abstract}: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections can cause loss or alteration of taste and smell as early symptoms or sequelae, but the detailed mechanism behind this phenomenon remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces taste cell apoptosis and expression of the apoptosis-related cytokine TNF-α in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP)-fluorescein nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay results revealed a significantly higher apoptosis index for taste cells in the SARS-CoV-2 group than for those in the control group. An immunohistochemistry analysis indicated significantly more TNF-α-positive cells in the SARS-CoV-2 group compared with the control group. These data suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein promotes taste cell apoptosis and the release of apoptosis-related cytokine TNF-α, implicating its contribution to the taste malfunction caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).