Highlights d Human intestinal epithelium cells (hIECs) can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 d hIECs support SARS-CoV-2 replication and produce de novo viruses d SARS-CoV-2 infection can be controlled in hIECs by type I and III interferons

Exacerbated pro-inflammatory immune response contributes to COVID-19 pathology. However, despite the mounting evidence about SARS-CoV-2 infecting the human gut, little is known about the antiviral programs triggered in this organ. To address this gap, we performed single-cell transcriptomics of SARS-CoV-2-infected intestinal organoids. We identified a subpopulation of enterocytes as the prime target of SARS-CoV-2 and, interestingly, found the lack of positive correlation between susceptibility to infection and the expression of ACE2. Infected cells activated strong proinflammatory programs and produced interferon, while expression of interferon-stimulated genes was limited to bystander cells due to SARS-CoV-2 suppressing the autocrine action of interferon. These findings reveal that SARS-CoV-2 curtails the immune response and highlights the gut as a proinflammatory reservoir that should be considered to fully understand SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.