Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41855156›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2026

SAMHD1 depletion restricts SARS-CoV-2 infection by suppressing HNF1-dependent ACE2 expression in lung epithelial cells.

Pak-Hin Hinson Cheung, Pearl Chan, Hua Yang, Krisztina Ambrus, Shravya Honne, Baek Kim, Stanley Perlman, Li Wu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Pak-Hin Hinson CheungDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America.
Pearl ChanDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America.
Hua YangDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America.
Krisztina AmbrusDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GeorgiaUnited States of America.
Shravya HonneDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GeorgiaUnited States of America.
Baek KimDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GeorgiaUnited States of America.
Stanley PerlmanDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America.
Li WuDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5468-2487

Funding

Role of eicosanoids in pathogenic human CoV infectionsR01AI129269 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI Stanley Perlman · 2016 to 2026
$4.7M
How SAMHD1 regulates HIV-1 innate immunity and viral gene expressionR01AI189220 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI Li Wu · 2025 to 2026
$1.5M
SAMHD1-mediated regulation of innate immunity during SARS-CoV-2 infectionR21AI181742 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · PI Li Wu · 2025 to 2026
$422k
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI129269NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI189220NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI181742
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sterile alpha motif and histidine-aspartate domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) restricts a broad spectrum of viruses through multifaceted mechanisms. It also limits spontaneous- and virus-induced innate immune responses by suppressing proinflammatory cytokine and type-I interferon (IFN-I) production. Some viruses escape SAMHD1 restriction and utilize SAMHD1-mediated innate immune suppression to establish effective infection through IFN antagonism. Our previous studies showed that SAMHD1 is a proviral factor facilitating replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human macrophages, monocytic THP-1 and epithelial-like HEK293T cell lines by suppressing IFN responses. However, it is unclear about the function of SAMHD1 in lung epithelial cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we report that SAMHD1 knockout (KO) restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial Calu-3 cells by suppressing endogenous expression of the viral receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) via hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha (HNF1α) and HNF1β. Using pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 and lentiviral vectors, we found that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated viral entry was suppressed in SAMHD1 KO Calu-3 cells. SAMHD1 KO repressed ACE2 expression in Calu-3 cells at mRNA and protein levels. Functional analyses revealed that HNF1α and HNF1β were crucial for the endogenous ACE2 expression in Calu-3 cells. Additionally, SAMHD1 KO led to a reduction in the expression levels and ACE2-promoting function of HNF1α and HNF1β. Inhibition of IFN antiviral response by baricitinib, a Janus kinase 1 and 2 (JAK 1/2) inhibitor, did not revert the suppression of SARS-CoV-2 in SAMHD1 KO Calu-3 cells. SAMHD1 knock-in and deoxynucleoside supplementation experiments indicated that SAMHD1 expression and dNTP pool balance collectively regulated HNF1-mediated ACE2 expression in Calu-3 cells. Our findings demonstrate that SAMHD1 depletion hinders HNF1-mediated ACE2 expression and SARS-CoV-2 replication in Calu-3 cells via a novel mechanism beyond its IFN-suppressive function.

Indexed as

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2COVID-19Epithelial CellsLungPeptidyl-Dipeptidase ASAM Domain and HD Domain-Containing Protein 1Cell LineHEK293 CellsHumansSARS-CoV-2Virus ReplicationACE2 protein, humanAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Peptidyl-Dipeptidase ASAM Domain and HD Domain-Containing Protein 1SAMHD1 protein, human

Identifiers

PMID41855156
PMCPMC13012622

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.