Researchers from the Netherlands and Germany have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect kidneys and cause cell injury and fibrosis. They have found tubule-interstitial fibrosis in kidney tissue samples of COVID-19 patients and confirmed the presence of cell signaling components involved in pro-fibrosis and cell injury pathways in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived kidney organoids. Earlier studies have shown SARS-CoV-2 infection in proximal tubule epithelial cells and the development of acute kidney injury in 21.4% of severe COVID-19 patients.
To demonstrate whether SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the kidney, researchers examined 62 kidney tissue samples from the COVID-19 patients and kidney organoids infected with SARS-CoV-2. Key findings of the study Cell injury and fibrosis in kidney tissue samples Kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM 1) found using lotus…
