Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects epithelial cells of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract and causes related symptoms. HIV infection impairs gut homeostasis and is associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 fatality. To investigate the potential link between these observations, we analysed single cell transcriptional profiles and SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor expression across lymphoid and mucosal human tissue from chronically HIV infected individuals and uninfected controls. Absorptive gut enterocytes displayed the highest co-expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptors ACE2, TMPRSS2 and TMPRSS4, of which ACE2 expression was associated with canonical interferon response and antiviral genes.

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