Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemics, much has been discussed about the relationship between the severity of the disease and the plasma lipid profiles of the population. We therefore studied the role played by the Spike protein (S protein) from SARS-CoV-2 in the lipid metabolisms, especially its interaction with High-Density Lipoproteins (HDLs). Our first work on the topic showed that the S protein removes lipids from model membranes and interferes with the capacity of HDL for removing and exchanging lipids composed of saturated phospholipids (DMPC) and cholesterol. Among the remaining open questions : does the S protein have preference over certain lipids? Could the lipid serum profile in individuals have an effect over how the S protein affect HDL function?
Publication: High-density lipoprotein function is modulated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a lipid-type dependent manner, Y. Correa et al., Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 645 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2023.04.137