SARS-CoV-2 infects and replicates in photoreceptor and retinal ganglion cells of human retinal organoids

Several studies have pointed to retinal involvement in COVID 19 disease, yet many questions remain regarding the ability of SARS CoV 2 to infect and replicate in retinal cells and its effects on the retina. Here we have used human stem cell derived retinal organoids to study retinal infection by the SARS CoV 2 virus. Indeed, SARS CoV 2 can infect and replicate in retinal organoids, as it is shown to infect different retinal lineages, such as retinal ganglion cells and photoreceptors. SARS CoV 2 infection of retinal organoids also induces the expression of several inflammatory genes, such as interleukin 33, a gene associated with acute COVID 19 disease and retinal degeneration. Finally, we show that the use of antibodies to block the ACE2 receptor significantly reduces SARS CoV 2 infection of retinal organoids, indicating that SARS CoV 2 infects retinal cells in an ACE2 dependent manner. These results suggest a retinal involvement in COVID 19 and emphasize the need to monitor retinal pathologies as potential sequelae of long COVID.