Dataset related to the article "Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transcriptional activity in cardiomyocytes of COVID-19 patients without clinical signs of cardiac involvement"

<p>This record contains raw data related to the article &quot;Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transcriptional activity in cardiomyocytes of COVID-19 patients without clinical signs of cardiac involvement&quot;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Article abstract:</p> <p><strong>Abstract:</strong> <strong>Aims: </strong>A considerable proportion of patients affected by coronavirus respiratory disease (COVID-19) develop cardiac injury. The viral impact in cardiomyocytes deserves, however, further investigations, especially in asymptomatic patients. <strong>Methods: </strong>We investigated for SARS-CoV-2 presence and activity in heart tissues of 6 consecutive COVID-19 patients deceased for respiratory failure showing no signs of cardiac involvement and with no history of heart disease. Cardiac autopsy samples were collected within 2 hours after death, and then analysed by digital PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, RNAScope, and transmission electron microscopy assays. <strong>Results</strong>: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 into cardiomyocytes was invariably detected in all assays. A variable pattern of cardiomyocytes injury was observed, spanning from absence of cell death and subcellular alterations hallmarks, to &nbsp;intracellular oedema and sarcomere ruptures. In addition, we found active viral transcription in cardiomyocytes, by detecting both sense and antisense SARS-CoV-2 spike RNA. <strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this autopsy cases analysis of patients with no clinical signs of cardiac involvement, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 into cardiomyocytes has been detected, determining variable patterns of intracellular damage. These findings suggest the need of a cardiologic surveillance in survived COVID-19 patients not displaying a cardiac phenotype<em>.</em></p>