Not only ACE2—the quest for additional host cell mediators of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) as a novel SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry mediator implicated in COVID-19

Two recently published studies published in Science by Daly et al.1 and Cantuti-Castelvetri et al.2 identified neuropilin-1(NRP1)as an additional cellular mediator which may facilitate the entry of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)-coronavirus(CoV)-2(SARS-CoV-2)into host cells.The findings of these elegant studies collectively indicate that,in addition to the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)in mediating the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2,NRP1 may act as a host cell mediator that can increase the infectivity and may thus contribute to the tissue/organ tropism of this coronavirus.