12 hours ago Jun 14, 2021, 04:45AM ISTSource: ANI Researchers have studied human kidney cells in the lab to examine the effects of COVID-19 on kidney health. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Many individuals who develop COVID-19 also experience kidney damage, but it's unclear if this is a direct result of viral infection or a consequence of another condition or the body's response to the infection. The researchers found that although the virus that causes COVID-19 could enter, infect, and replicate in human adult kidney cells, this did not typically lead to cell death. Prior to infection, the cells contained high levels of interferon signalling molecules, and the infection stimulated an inflammatory response that increased these molecules. In contrast, infection of kidney cells deficient in such molecules resulted in cell death, suggesting a protective effect. The cells in these experiments were grown as a three-dimensional spheroid that imitates the healthy kidney or as a two-dimensional layer that mimics the cells of an acutely injured kidney. Cells that mimicked an acutely injured kidney were more prone to infection and additional injury but not cell death.