In envelope-having viruses, the binding of receptors and envelope proteins on the cell membrane surface of the host cell initiates the infection. In the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), it is generally recognized that ACE2 is its receptor. ACE2 is expressed in the liver, lungs, stomach, kidneys, and large intestine, but ACE2 expression in the lungs is rather low, and it is suspected that other infection routes exist in view of the severity of COVID-19. C-type lectins, which are widely expressed in immune cells, are also candidates, but the following groups indicate that CD147 can be an infection pathway.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-020-00426-x
The interaction between CD147 and S-protein has been verified by SPR and ELISA methods, and actual infection experiments using VeroE6 and BEAS-2B cells have also been conducted.
Infection through CD147 is said to be endocytosis, not cell membrane fusion, as an infection mechanism.
