Localized SARS-CoV-2 Infection Triggers a Tissue-Wide Antiviral Response and Functional Impairment of Olfactory Sensory Neurons
Jiaying Liu, Muhammad Shoaib Akhtar, Hongwei Liu, Yaejin Kim, Brianna M. Ramirez, Anthony L Weidner, Austin Chan, Maxwell Collins, Stefan Rothenburg, Lark L. Coffey, Qizhi Gong
This study investigates how SARS-CoV-2 infection affects olfactory sensory neurons in mice, showing localized infection triggers a tissue-wide antiviral response and functional impairment without neuronal loss.
bioRxiv · Sep 21, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience