SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, is associated with a range of neurological manifestations including haemorrhage, thrombosis and ischaemic necrosis and encephalitis. However, it is unclear whether this occurs as a result of direct infection of the central nervous system, or indirect sequelae as a result of vascular damage due to peripheral inflammation. We profiled ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in brain tissue from five healthy donors, and observed expression of these proteins in astrocytes, neurons and choroid plexus epithelium within frontal cortex and medulla. Primary human astrocytes, neurons and choroid plexus epithelial cells supported productive SARS-CoV-2 infection with a clinical isolate, and infection occurred in an ACE2-dependent manner, as determined by immunofluorescent staining. Infected cells supported the full viral lifecycle, releasing virus particles that were capable of infecting VeroE6 cells. In contrast, primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes and microglia were refractory to SARS-CoV-2 infection. These data support a model whereby SARS-CoV-2 is neurotropic, and productively infects multiple cells of the human central nervous system. Future therapeutic strategies should consider the brain as a potential reservoir of infection, therefore the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and other barriers of the CNS should be investigated.

SARS-CoV-2 infects neurons, astrocytes and choroid plexus epithelial cells in the human central nervous system.

Exploring the intricacies of host-pathogen communication is vital in order to understand why
some microbes persist within a host, while others are effectively cleared. As such,
host-pathogen communication is an urgent area of research underpinning human health
and disease, especially given the emerging concerns of antibiotic resistance.
Understanding host-pathogen pathways requires intricate knowledge in the fields of both
microbiology and immunology.

Living in a world of specialists, where scientists sometimes invest their whole career
studying one organism, a specific pathway or a protein, multidisciplinary discussions of
host-pathogen interactions are highly needed. This international conference will provide
such a forum for scientific exchange at the highest level, between scientists from different
research areas related to host-pathogen interactions, with the aim to trigger fruitful
collaborations addressing the urgent questions in the field.

This meeting has an additional special focus of bringing researchers from Ireland, Denmark
and Israel together to learn about cutting edge biology and form new collaborations.
Thus, the conference will be a showcase for the exciting and original research emanating
from these three small but innovative countries.