The Th2 cytokine IL-13 appeared to play a significant role in protecting people with allergic asthma against the damaging effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
After infecting human airway epithelial cell cultures with the virus, the researchers found that the protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) governed which cell types were infected and the viral load found in this cell population.
Further examination revealed the virus left ciliated cells and severe cytopathogenesis, culminating in ciliated cells packed