35
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have caused several waves of outbreaks. From the ancestral strain to Omicron variant, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved with the high transmissibility and increased immune escape against vaccines. Because of the multiple basic amino acids in the S1-S2 junction of spike protein, the widespread distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in human body and the high transmissibility, SARS-CoV-2 can infect multiple organs and has led to over 0.7 billion infectious cases. Studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause more than 10% patients with the Long-COVID syndrome, including pathological changes in brains. This review mainly provides the molecular foundations for understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 invading human brain and the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 infection interfering with human brain and memory, which are associated with the immune dysfunction, syncytia-induced cell death, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, microclots and biopsychosocial aspects. We also discuss the strategies for reducing the Long-COVID syndrome. Further studies and analysis of shared researches will allow for further clarity regarding the long-term health consequences.
Okay, so SARS-CoV-2 carries these viral fusion proteins (think of them like cellular lock jimmies) on the spike protein (remember that shit?), and it uses this to bypass the membrane and enter the cell. Once inside the virus doesn’t need its jimmies anymore, so they’re discarded in the cell’s membrane. This is bad because the jimmies still work, so now these lock picks are lodged in the membrane and can latch on to other neighboring cell membranes. When this happens they fusion dance into syncytium, which are basically giant cells with multiple nucleus.
While syncytia (the plural of syncyium) are actually normal in tissues like muscle cells, when that happens in your brain or lungs its bad. At best this just kills the cells, but if they don’t die they just kinda hang around and can’t do their jobs and cause microclots.
I think.