[elie_CH]

>These results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may enter MT-2 cells at 6 h post infection, but does not replicate, and then the viral RNA degrade.

So it infects the cells but it's a dead end for the virus.

====

I can't believe the journal published the article with that clickbait title, without mentioning that it's non-productive infection. I was about to dig up the transcriptomics paper (cited by this paper) and the pre-print about the virus decimating the spleen/lymphoid organs which show that T cells aren't infected (I guess they are technically infected, but not in the way most people think).

(Quick CP from Reddit)

[jonplackett]

If it does not replicate, does that mean it doesn't harm the cell it enters?

[djmips]

I also wondered that. Even if it doesn't replicate inside a T lymphocyte could it damage it thereby weakening the immune response as a side effect?

[jonplackett]

To a complete layperson (myself) it seems that anything entering a cell it's not supposed to isn't going to help that cell out much. I would appreciate some expert commentary though if anyone has some!

[libertine]

This is a question out of ignorance, but couldn't this be a precursor of a potential strain (one that, through a mutation, can start replicating on MT-2 cells?). Like this could be a dead end for the virus, until it's not?

Or this potential is irrelevant, because tracking all potential mutations/strains simply makes no sense?