Publication date: Jun 25, 2025
A new study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein can spread from infected to uninfected cells, triggering an immune response that mistakenly targets healthy cells. Once present on these otherwise healthy cells, NP is recognized by the immune system and is targeted by anti-NP antibodies, which mistakenly label the cells for destruction. When this happens, clumps of the viral protein form on these healthy cells. They discovered that this protein sticks to certain sugar-like molecules found on the surface of many cells, called Heparan Sulfate proteoglycans. It does this by taking over the spots the protein would normally bind to, being a heparin analog.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Classical | Cells |
| Israel | Cov |
| Microbiologist | Covid |
| Virus | Damage |
| Wolf | Dr |
| Enoxaparin | |
| Healthy | |
| Hebrew | |
| Immune | |
| Infected | |
| Nucleocapsid | |
| Prof | |
| Sars | |
| System | |
| Viral |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | inflammation |
| disease | IDO | process |
| disease | IDO | cell |
| pathway | REACTOME | Immune System |
| disease | IDO | role |
| disease | MESH | complications |
| pathway | REACTOME | SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| disease | IDO | facility |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Enoxaparin |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Heparin |
| disease | IDO | organism |
| disease | IDO | blood |
| disease | MESH | viral infections |
| disease | MESH | long COVID |
| disease | IDO | immune response |
| disease | IDO | protein |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
Original Article
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