Fig. 5.

Syncytia formation disrupts actin cytoskeleton and nucleoskeleton. a Representative fluorescence images of co-culture experiment. HEK293T cells were transfected with vector control (Vec) or plasmids expressing spike (S) for 24 h. Cells were then detached and mixed with HeLa-ACE2. After 4.5 h, cells were stained with DAPI (blue) and fluorescently labeled phalloidin (green) as indicated. Scale bar, 20 μm. b Three-dimensional reconstructed images of a were displayed as volume view. c Quantification of cell thickness. Cells were measured for height based on z-stack images. Mean ± s.d. Data were pooled from 3 independent experiments. ****P < 0.0001, two-tailed Student’s t-test. d Cells were treated as described in a and subjected to Western blot analysis using indicated antibodies. e Cells were treated as described in a and stained with DAPI (blue) and anti-lamin A/C antibody (red) as indicated. Scale bar, 20 μm. f Quantification of Lamin A/C positive cells from experiments described in e. Mean ± s.d., n = 3 independent experiments. ***P < 0.001. Two-tailed Student’s t-test. g HEK293T cells were transfected with plasmids expressing S for 24 h. Cells were then detached and mixed with HeLa-ACE2. After 4.5 h, cells were stained with DAPI (blue), anti-γH2AX (green) antibody, and anti- Lamin A/C antibody (red) as indicated. Scale bar, 20 μm