SARS-CoV-2 Isolates Show Impaired Replication in Human Immune Cells but Differential Ability to Replicate and Induce Innate Immunity in Lung Epithelial Cells

With the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, information on the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and regulation of innate immunity in human immune cells and lung epithelial cells is needed. In the present study, we show that SARS-CoV-2 failed to productively infect human immune cells, but different isolates of SARS-CoV-2 showed differential ability to replicate and regulate innate interferon responses in human lung epithelial Calu-3 cells. These findings will open up the way for further studies on the mechanisms of pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 in human cells.