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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2022; 28(48): 6875-6887
Published online Dec 28, 2022. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i48.6875
Molecular mechanisms implicated in SARS-CoV-2 liver tropism
Jorge Quarleri, M. Victoria Delpino
Jorge Quarleri, M. Victoria Delpino, Institute for Biomedical Research on Retroviruses and AIDS, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National Scientific and Technical Research Council-University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina
Author contributions: Quarleri J and Delpino MV have contributed equally to conceptualization, methodology, writing, review and editing.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: M. Victoria Delpino, PhD, Institute for Biomedical Research on Retroviruses and AIDS, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155 Piso 11, Buenos Aires 1121, Argentina. mdelpino@ffyb.uba.ar
Received: September 5, 2022
Peer-review started: September 5, 2022
First decision: November 5, 2022
Revised: November 7, 2022
Accepted: November 27, 2022
Article in press: November 27, 2022
Published online: December 28, 2022
Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Hepatic involvement is common in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. It is currently accepted that the direct and indirect hepatic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection play a significant role in COVID-19. In individuals with pre-existing infectious and non-infectious liver disease, who are at a remarkably higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 and death, this pathology is most medically relevant. This review emphasizes the current pathways regarded as contributing to the gastrointestinal and hepatic ailments linked to COVID-19-infected patients due to an imbalanced interaction among the liver, systemic inflammation, disrupted coagulation, and the lung.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Viral hepatitis, Non-infectious liver disease, Hyperin-flammation, Coronavirus disease 2019

Core Tip: Clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be triggered by the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the liver. SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA and its replicative intermediates were found in liver tissues. SARS-CoV-2 causes direct cholangiocyte damage. Systemic inflammation due to COVID-19 correlated with the degree of acute liver injury as revealed by the rise in aspartate aminotransferase levels. SARS-CoV-2 infection increased the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with a history of advanced liver disease.