SARS-COV2 Envelope Protein (E) interacts with the Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 1 (LPAR1) from humans

A proteomic screen of human proteins interacting with the SARS-COV2 Envelope (E) protein identified LPAR1 as a strong candidate. Physical association of E protein and LPAR1 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and cell surface staining. LPAR1-E protein interaction was confirmed in all eight human cell lines tested. Many additional proteins participating in the E protein interactions network were also enriched from each of the cell lines, some of which were cell type specific. These findings suggest that LPAR1 is likely a cell surface receptor for the E protein, and pave the way for follow-on studies aimed at understanding the biological significance of the interactions in SARS-COV disease, including the signaling mechanisms.