ArticleFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology2025
SARS-CoV-2 exploits steroidogenic machinery, triggers lipid metabolism for viral replication and induces immune response in Leydig cells of K18-hACE2 mice.
Article in Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- SARS-CoV-2 triggers an NF-kB-driven proliferative response in epididymal clear cells of K18-hACE2 mice.Reproduction & fertility · 2026Article
- Ultrastructural Features, Immune Response, and Junctional Proteins in the Seminiferous Epithelium of SARS-CoV-2-Infected Mice.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- TLR4/NF-κB signaling-mediated neuroinflammation is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Impact of Obesity on Immunity to the Influenza Virus: Gut Microbiota, Mechanisms, and Novel Therapeutic Strategies.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: During COVID-19 pandemic, men had reduced serum testosterone and higher mortality rate than women. Variations in high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were detected in severe COVID-19 individuals. We evaluated the response of testicular macrophages, steroidogenic activity and lipid metabolism of Leydig cells in SARS-CoV-2-infected K18-hACE2 mice. Methods: Testes were analyzed under light and electron microscope. Immunolocalization of human angiotensin converting enzyme (hACE2) and viral proteins (spike and nucleocapsid) were evaluated in association with the expression of viral recognition receptor Results: In the infected animals, the Leydig cells showed enhanced immunolocalization of hACE2, spike and nucleocapsid. The expression of Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infects Leydig cells, activates its immune response and impairs steroidogenesis. The virus uses the steroidogenic machinery and induces lipid metabolism pathways for its survival and replication in these cells. These findings support the low testosterone and HDL levels in men with severe COVID-19.
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