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Das et al. Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2020;7:141-9 Neuroimmunology
DOI: 10.20517/2347-8659.2020.36 and Neuroinflammation

Review Open Access

COVID-19 neurotropism and implications for therapy

Mahasweta Das , Courtney Penn , Taylor Martinez , Karthick Mayilsamy , Andrew McGill 1,2,4 , Alison
1,4
1,4
1,4
1,4
Wiling , Shyam S. Mohapatra , Subhra Mohapatra 1,4
2,4
3
1 Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
2 Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
3 Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Center of Excellence for aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida,
Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
4 James A Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
Correspondence to: Dr. Subhra Mohapatra, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Morsani College of
Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. E-mail: smohapa2@usf.edu; and Dr. Shyam S. Mohapatra, Department of Internal Medicine,
University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. E-mail: smohapat@usf.edu
How to cite this article: Das M, Penn C, Martinez T, Mayilsamy K, McGill A, Wiling A, Mohapatra SS, Mohapatra S. COVID-19
neurotropism and implications for therapy. Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2020;7: 141-9.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-8659.2020.36
Received: 28 Apr 2020 First Decision: 25 May 2020 Revised: 25 May 2020 Accepted: 1 Jun 2020 Available online: 3 Jun 2020

Science Editor: Athanassios P. Kyritsis Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract
The mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)
infection in humans is poorly understood, although the cellular receptors which facilitate the virus fusion have
been identified. Although the major symptoms of the infection have been identified as acute respiratory distress,
pneumonia, and fever, recently, symptoms involving nervous system dysfunctions, including encephalopathy and
stroke, have been detected. Herein, we comprehensively review the evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection involves a
neurotropic mechanism including a nose-brain-lung axis suggesting implications in therapy development.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, nose-brain-lung axis, neurotropism

INTRODUCTION
The current global pandemic outbreak of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-
CoV-2) is known for its viral tropism to the lungs, which in severe cases can lead to the fatal respiratory
failure of patients who have contracted the disease. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV viruses have a 70%-80%
[1]
homology and both enter the body through the same receptor, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) .

© The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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