Tang Team Work Showing that SARS-CoV-2 Significantly Suppresses Functional Expression of the Human α7nAChR Published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience

Deficiency of the human α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) is known to impair both neuronal and immune systems, leading to symptoms observed in long COVID. The research team of Pei Tang, PhD, identified a helical motif in the SARS-CoV-2 spike neck that is responsible for α7nAChR downregulation. The implication of this discovery is highly profound for improving COVID-19 vaccines to minimize side effects and for developing treatment options for certain symptoms related to long COVID. This groundbreaking work was just published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience:

• SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Downregulates Cell Surface α7nAChR through a Helical Motif in the Spike Neck