Fig. 2: Transcriptomic assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels and ACE2 mRNA levels. | Modern Pathology

Fig. 2: Transcriptomic assessment of SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels and ACE2 mRNA levels.

From: Factors associated with myocardial SARS-CoV-2 infection, myocarditis, and cardiac inflammation in patients with COVID-19

Fig. 2

A heatmap of RNA levels (A) shows trends toward increased SARS-CoV-2-positive-strand RNA transcripts in the SARS-CoV-2-ISH+ cases (P = 0.04–0.29). The color guide shows the corresponding Z-scores for the RNA levels. One V–M– case had relatively strong expression of the eight positive-strand sequences but not the antisense sequence (SARS-CoV-2_orf1ab_REV) likely due to non-replicating virions in the blood. In the SARS-CoV-2-ISH+ cases, there was significantly more SARS-CoV-2 antisense RNA, indicating viral replication in the heart (B), as well as downregulation of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 (C). Bars indicate mean ± SE.

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