hPSC-derived liver organoids are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection
(A) Experimental schematic of infection of hPSC-derived liver organoids (HLOs) with SARS-CoV-2.
(B) RT-qPCR of liver-specific genes in HLOs derived from either H1 ESCs or Allen ESCs. Astrocytes derived from H1 ESCs were included as a negative control. All samples were plated in triplicate for RT-qPCR.
(C) Representative confocal image of HLO stained for HNF4α; scale bars, 100 μm.
(D) RT-qPCR of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) expression in infected HLOs at 0, 24, and 48 h post-infection (hpi). HI-48 = HLOs infected with heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 for 48 h. All samples were plated in triplicate for RT-qPCR.
(E) Representative confocal images of HLOs infected with SARS-CoV-2 and stained for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) and HNF4α; scale bars, 100 μm. For (B) and (D) values are expressed as mean ± SEM (∗∗∗∗ = p < 0.0001 based on two-tailed unpaired t test).