Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can infect the adult human pancreas and cause irreversible damage. Polish scientists demonstrated the possible path of entry and replication of the virus in pancreatic cells. SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to enter cells via the ACE2 receptors, but not NRP1 and TMPRSS2. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 enters the pancreatic cells through cathepsin-dependent endocytosis, which is a different mechanism of entry than the respiratory tract. The obtained research results can be used to design of specific drugs that protect the pancreas against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The paper was published in iScience.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004222008665?via%3Dihub