Figure 7.

Characterization of cell types for SARS-CoV-2 infection in SARS-CoV-2 autopsy lungs

(A) Sections from an autopsy lung with SARS-CoV-2 infection were stained by hematoxylin and eosin (i) and probed for SARS-CoV-2 by RNA-ISH (ii–iv). A SARS-CoV-2 sense probe (ii) was used. Scale bars, 1 mm.

(B) The trachea from a SARS-CoV-2 autopsy was probed for SARS-CoV-2 by RNA ISH. Shown in (i) is a colorimetric detection of SARS-CoV-2 (red) showing infection of surface epithelium. Shown in (ii–iv) is the co-localization of SARS-CoV-2 (red) with cell-type-specific markers (green) determined by dual-immunofluorescent staining (ii, acetylated α-tubulin cilia marker; iii, MUC5B secretory cell marker; and iv, MUC5AC mucous (goblet)-cell marker). Scale bars, 10 μm.

(C) Co-localization of SARS-CoV-2 with alveolar cell-type-specific markers in the alveolar space from a SARS-CoV-2 autopsy. Shown in (i) is the dual color-fluorescent RNA-ISH co-localization of SARS-CoV-2 (green) with alveolar type II cell marker SFTPC (red). Shown in (ii) is the dual-immunofluorescent co-localization of SARS-CoV-2 (green) with alveolar type I cell marker AGER (magenta). Scale bars, 20 μm.

(D) Mucin expression in SARS-CoV-2 autopsy lung. Shown in (i) is the AB-PAS (blue to purple) stain for complex carbohydrate (mucin), in (ii) is MUC5B immunohistochemistry, in (iii–v) is the dual-immunofluorescent staining for MUC5B (green) and MUC5AC (red) in the large airway (iv) and the alveoli (v). Abbreviation is as follows: SM, submucosal grand. Scale bars, 2mm (i–iii) and 200 μm (iv and v).

See also Figure S5.