TY - JOUR T1 - Elevation in sphingolipid upon SARS-CoV-2 infection: possible implications for COVID-19 pathology JF - Life Science Alliance JO - Life Sci. Alliance DO - 10.26508/lsa.202101168 VL - 5 IS - 1 SP - e202101168 AU - Einat B Vitner AU - Roy Avraham AU - Boaz Politi AU - Sharon Melamed AU - Tomer Israely Y1 - 2022/01/01 UR - https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/5/1/e202101168.abstract N2 - Understanding pathways that might impact coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) manifestations and disease outcomes is necessary for better disease management and for therapeutic development. Here, we analyzed alterations in sphingolipid (SL) levels upon infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection induced elevation of SL levels in both cells and sera of infected mice. A significant increase in glycosphingolipid levels was induced early post SARS-CoV-2 infection, which was essential for viral replication. This elevation could be reversed by treatment with glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors. Levels of sphinganine, sphingosine, GA1, and GM3 were significantly increased in both cells and the murine model upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. The potential involvement of SLs in COVID-19 pathology is discussed. ER -