Title | Hyperglycemia in acute COVID-19 is characterized by insulin resistance and adipose tissue infectivity by SARS-CoV-2. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2021 |
Authors | Reiterer M, Rajan M, Gómez-Banoy N, Lau JD, Gomez-Escobar LG, Ma L, Gilani A, Alvarez-Mulett S, Sholle ET, Chandar V, Bram Y, Hoffman K, Bhardwaj P, Piloco P, Rubio-Navarro A, Uhl S, Carrau L, Houhgton S, Redmond D, Shukla AP, Goyal P, Brown KA, tenOever BR, Alonso LC, Schwartz RE, Schenck EJ, Safford MM, Lo JC |
Journal | Cell Metab |
Volume | 33 |
Issue | 11 |
Pagination | 2174-2188.e5 |
Date Published | 2021 11 02 |
ISSN | 1932-7420 |
Abstract | Individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 who also display hyperglycemia suffer from longer hospital stays, higher risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and increased mortality. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanism of hyperglycemia in COVID-19 remains poorly characterized. Here, we show that hyperglycemia is similarly prevalent among patients with ARDS independent of COVID-19 status. Yet among patients with ARDS and COVID-19, insulin resistance is the prevalent cause of hyperglycemia, independent of glucocorticoid treatment, which is unlike patients with ARDS but without COVID-19, where pancreatic beta cell failure predominates. A screen of glucoregulatory hormones revealed lower levels of adiponectin in patients with COVID-19. Hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 demonstrated a strong antiviral gene expression program in the adipose tissue and diminished expression of adiponectin. Moreover, we show that SARS-CoV-2 can infect adipocytes. Together these data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may trigger adipose tissue dysfunction to drive insulin resistance and adverse outcomes in acute COVID-19. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.09.009 |
Alternate Journal | Cell Metab |
PubMed ID | 34599884 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC8443335 |
Grant List | R01 DK121140 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States R01 CA234614 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States R01 DK121844 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States P30 DK020541 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States R01 AI107301 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States UL1 TR002384 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States R01 CA215797 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States R01 DK121072 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States P60 DK020541 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States |