Microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids do not interfere with SARS-CoV-2 infection of human colonic samples

• Published in: Gut microbes Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Pascoal, Lívia Bitencourt, Rodrigues, Patrícia Brito, Genaro, Lívia Moreira, Gomes, Arilson Bernardo Dos Santos Pereira, Toledo-Teixeira, Daniel Augusto, Parise, Pierina Lorencini, Bispo-Dos-Santos, Karina, Simeoni, Camila Lopes, Guimarães, Paula Veri, Buscaratti, Lucas Ildefonso, Elston, João Gabriel De Angeli, Marques-Souza, Henrique, Martins-de-Souza, Daniel, Ayrizono, Maria De Lourdes Setsuko, Velloso, Lício Augusto, Proenca-Modena, José Luiz, Moraes-Vieira, Pedro Manoel Mendes, Mori, Marcelo Alves Silva, Farias, Alessandro Santos, Vinolo, Marco Aurélio Ramirez, Leal, Raquel Franco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2021; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Brief Report; Caco-2 Cells; Colon - virology; covid-19; COVID-19 - virology; Epithelial Cells - virology; Fatty Acids, Volatile - metabolism; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; human colonic samples; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Intestinal Mucosa - virology; Male; microbiota; Middle Aged; sars-cov-2; SARS-CoV-2 - pathogenicity; SARS-CoV-2 - physiology; short-chain fatty acids; Viral Load; Virus Internalization; Young Adult; COVID-19; microbiota; SARS-CoV-2; short-chain fatty acids; human colonic samples
• ISSN: 1949-0976; 1949-0984
• DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1874740

Microbiota-derived molecules called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play a key role in the maintenance of the intestinal barrier and regulation of immune response during infectious conditions. Recent reports indicate that SARS-CoV-2 infection changes microbiota and SCFAs production. However, the relevance of this effect is unknown. In this study, we used human intestinal biopsies and intestinal epithelial cells to investigate the impact of SCFAs in the infection by SARS-CoV-2. SCFAs did not change the entry or replication of SARS-CoV-2 in intestinal cells. These metabolites had no effect on intestinal cells' permeability and presented only minor effects on the production of anti-viral and inflammatory mediators. Together our findings indicate that the changes in microbiota composition of patients with COVID-19 and, particularly, of SCFAs do not interfere with the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the intestine.