Interaction between SARS-COV-2 and the human respiratory epithelium: sequestration of endocytosis and exocytosis pathways

The entry routes of a pathogen into our body is based on the breakdown of our physiological barriers. In the case of the respiratory tract, the epithelium is one of the first barriers that the human body presents. The viral transfer of this epithelium has two alternatives: 1) the paracellular space, which would imply the disassembly of the tight and adherent junctions between neighboring cells, and 2) carrying out an intracellular transport process, taking the virus for its benefit the routes of intracellular traffic. This project aims to 1 study how the virus enters our body through the epithelial cells of the human respiratory tract. On the other hand, the release of new viruses to the lumen of the respiratory tract may be due to the exocytosis of the viruses. This process would require the use of the secretion pathways that cells use naturally. This project in its objective 2 will study the exocytosis of SARS-CoV2 in epithelial cells of the human respiratory tract. In addition, the development of Objectives 1 and 2 will conclude with the development of two screening platforms, allowing the search for drugs that block the entry or exit of the virus directly in respiratory tract epithelia.