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We discovered that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes DNA damage both in cultured cells and in vivo. Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 degrades the enzyme CHK1, which leads to a reduction in dNTPs and impaired DNA replication. Moreover, inhibition of the formation of binding protein 53BP1 foci by the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein hinders the repair of damaged DNA. The ensuing accumulation of DNA damage causes cellular senescence and inflammation.
Contraction of the hair follicle-lining dermal sheath smooth muscle generates the forces necessary for the tissue remodelling that takes place during the regression phase of the hair growth cycle. This study reveals that endothelin signalling — from epithelial progenitors at the follicle bottleneck region to its neighbouring dermal sheath — is the main contraction-activating pathway.
