Fig. 6

A Gene expression changes associated with the pro-viral and anti-viral effects of exogenous α-syn monomers and IFN-β, respectively. qPCR-based transcriptional analyses were performed in A549-hACE2 cells 48 h post-infection. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM from n = 3 independent experiments. Data for each gene were analyzed by One Way ANOVA. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001. SNCA synclein alpha; IFNB Interferon beta; STAT1 Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1; MX1 Myxovirus Resistance Protein 1; MX2 Myxovirus Resistance Protein 2; OAS1 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1, RIG-I retinoic acid-inducible gene I; TNFA tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNFRSF1A tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 1A, TLR8 Toll-like receptor 8; Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). B SNCA mRNA expression is negatively correlated with viral titers at 3 and 5d post-infection of epithelial lung cells. The analyses were performed in CaLu-3 and A549-hACE2 cells at 3 and 5d post-infection with SARS-CoV-2 at 3 different MOI (0.01, 0.005, 0.001). Correlation between relative SNCA mRNA expression and SARS-CoV-2 N gene mRNA expression in A549-hACE2 and CaLu-3 cells was calculated through the Pearson’s r coefficient. Statistical significance was calculated through the two-tailed, paired Student’s t test. n = 12 for A549-hACE2 cells; n = 9 for CaLu3 cells. C1 and C2 SNCA mRNA expression is increased in human PBMCs stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 and is negatively correlated with SARS-CoV-2 replication in co-cultured CaLu-3 cells. C1 qPCR-based quantification of SNCA mRNA expression in in vitro SARS-CoV-2-exposed human PBMCs compared with Mock CTR. Statistical significance was calculated through the two-tailed, paired Student’s t test. The graph shows individual values (n = 8) with mean ± SD. ** p < 0.01. C2 Correlation analysis between relative SNCA mRNA expression within SARS-CoV-2-exposed PBMCs, and SARS-CoV-2 replication (N gene copy number) in co-cultured CaLu-3 epithelial cells. Correlation was calculated through the Pearson’s r coefficient. Statistical significance was calculated through the two-tailed, paired Student’s t test. n = 8