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Kirk NM, Liang Y, Ly H. Pathogenesis and virulence of coronavirus disease: Comparative pathology of animal models for COVID-19. Virulence 2024; 15:2316438. [PMID: 38362881 PMCID: PMC10878030 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2024.2316438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal models that can replicate clinical and pathologic features of severe human coronavirus infections have been instrumental in the development of novel vaccines and therapeutics. The goal of this review is to summarize our current understanding of the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the pathologic features that can be observed in several currently available animal models. Knowledge gained from studying these animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection can help inform appropriate model selection for disease modelling as well as for vaccine and therapeutic developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M. Kirk
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Yuying Liang
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
| | - Hinh Ly
- Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, USA
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2
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Currey J, Ellsworth C, Khatun MS, Wang C, Chen Z, Liu S, Midkiff C, Xiao M, Ren M, Liu F, Elgazzaz M, Fox S, Maness NJ, Rappaport J, Lazartigues E, Blair R, Kolls JK, Mauvais-Jarvis F, Qin X. Upregulation of inflammatory genes and pathways links obesity to severe COVID-19. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167322. [PMID: 38942338 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Obesity is a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19. However, the mechanism underlying obesity-accelerated COVID-19 remains unclear. Here, we report results from a study in which 2-3-month-old K18-hACE2 (K18) mice were fed a western high-fat diet (WD) or normal chow (NC) over 3 months before intranasal infection with a sublethal dose of SARS-CoV2 WA1 (a strain ancestral to the Wuhan variant). After infection, the WD-fed K18 mice lost significantly more body weight and had more severe lung inflammation than normal chow (NC)-fed mice. Bulk RNA-seq analysis of lungs and adipose tissue revealed a diverse landscape of various immune cells, inflammatory markers, and pathways upregulated in the infected WD-fed K18 mice when compared with the infected NC-fed control mice. The transcript levels of IL-6, an important marker of COVID-19 disease severity, were upregulated in the lung at 6-9 days post-infection in the WD-fed mice when compared to NC-fed mice. Transcriptome analysis of the lung and adipose tissue obtained from deceased COVID-19 patients found that the obese patients had an increase in the expression of genes and the activation of pathways associated with inflammation as compared to normal-weight patients (n = 2). The K18 mouse model and human COVID-19 patient data support a link between inflammation and an obesity-accelerated COVID-19 disease phenotype. These results also indicate that obesity-accelerated severe COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 WA1 infection in the K18 mouse model would be a suitable model for dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Currey
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Calder Ellsworth
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Mst Shamima Khatun
- Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Environmental Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Chenxiao Wang
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Zheng Chen
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Shumei Liu
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Cecily Midkiff
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Mark Xiao
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Mi Ren
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Fengming Liu
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Mona Elgazzaz
- Southeast Louisiana VA Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
| | - Sharon Fox
- Southeast Louisiana VA Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
| | - Nicholas J Maness
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Jay Rappaport
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Eric Lazartigues
- Southeast Louisiana VA Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
| | - Robert Blair
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Jay K Kolls
- Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, Center for Translational Research in Infection and Inflammation, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Department of Pulmonary Critical Care and Environmental Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Franck Mauvais-Jarvis
- Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Southeast Louisiana VA Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
| | - Xuebin Qin
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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Jiménez de Oya N, Calvo-Pinilla E, Mingo-Casas P, Escribano-Romero E, Blázquez AB, Esteban A, Fernández-González R, Pericuesta E, Sánchez-Cordón PJ, Martín-Acebes MA, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Saiz JC. Susceptibility and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 variants in transgenic mice expressing the cat angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor. One Health 2024; 18:100744. [PMID: 38725960 PMCID: PMC11079394 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 and its rapid spread throughout the world has caused the largest pandemic of our modern era. The zoonotic origin of this pathogen highlights the importance of the One Health concept and the need for a coordinated response to this kind of threats. Since its emergence, the virus has caused >7 million deaths worldwide. However, the animal source for human outbreaks remains unknown. The ability of the virus to jump between hosts is facilitated by the presence of the virus receptor, the highly conserved angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), found in various mammals. Positivity for SARS-CoV-2 has been reported in various species, including domestic animals and livestock, but their potential role in bridging viral transmission to humans is still unknown. Additionally, the virus has evolved over the pandemic, resulting in variants with different impacts on human health. Therefore, suitable animal models are crucial to evaluate the susceptibility of different mammalian species to this pathogen and the adaptability of different variants. In this work, we established a transgenic mouse model that expresses the feline ACE2 protein receptor (cACE2) under the human cytokeratin 18 (K18) gene promoter's control, enabling high expression in epithelial cells, which the virus targets. Using this model, we assessed the susceptibility, pathogenicity, and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our results show that the sole expression of the cACE2 receptor in these mice makes them susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 variants from the initial pandemic wave but does not enhance susceptibility to omicron variants. Furthermore, we demonstrated efficient contact transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between transgenic mice that express either the feline or the human ACE2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nereida Jiménez de Oya
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Eva Calvo-Pinilla
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA-CSIC. Carretera Algete-El Casar de Talamanca, Km. 8,1, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Mingo-Casas
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Estela Escribano-Romero
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Ana-Belén Blázquez
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Ana Esteban
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Raúl Fernández-González
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA-CSIC. Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Eva Pericuesta
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA-CSIC. Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Pedro J. Sánchez-Cordón
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, INIA-CSIC. Carretera Algete-El Casar de Talamanca, Km. 8,1, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Martín-Acebes
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán
- Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA-CSIC. Av. Puerta de Hierro, 18, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Juan-Carlos Saiz
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC). Ctra. de La Coruña, km 7, 5, Madrid 28040, Spain
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4
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Ogger PP, Martín MG, Jang S, Zhou J, Brown J, Sukhova K, Furnon W, Patel AH, Cowton V, Palmarini M, Barclay WS, Johansson C. SARS-CoV-2 strains bearing Omicron BA.1 spike replicate in C57BL/6 mice. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1383612. [PMID: 38742107 PMCID: PMC11089223 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the COVID pandemic, is an RNA virus with a high propensity to mutate. Successive virus variants, including variants of concern (VOC), have emerged with increased transmission or immune escape. The original pandemic virus and early variants replicated poorly, if at all, in mice at least partly due to a mismatch between the receptor binding domain on the viral spike protein and the murine angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Omicron VOC emerged in late 2021 harboring > 50 new mutations, 35 of them in the spike protein. This variant resulted in a very large wave of infections, even in the face of prior immunity, albeit being inherently less severe than earlier variants. Reflecting the lower severity reported in humans, Omicron displayed attenuated infection in hamsters and also in the K18-hACE2 mouse model. K18-hACE2 mice express both the human ACE2 as well as the endogenous mouse ACE2. Methods Here we infected hACE2 knock-in mice that express only human ACE2 and no murine ACE2, or C57BL/6 wildtype mice with SARS-CoV-2 D614G (first-wave isolate), Delta or Omicron BA.1 variants and assessed infectivity and downstream innate immune responses. Results While replication of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron was lower in the lungs of hACE2 knock-in mice compared with SARS-CoV-2 D614G and VOC Delta, it replicated more efficiently than the earlier variants in C57BL/6 wildtype mice. This opens the opportunity to test the effect of host genetics on SARS-CoV-2 infections in wildtype mice. As a proof of principle, we tested Omicron infection in mice lacking expression of the interferon-alpha receptor-1 (IFNAR1). In these mice we found that loss of type I IFN receptor signaling resulted in higher viral loads in the lungs were detected. Finally, using a chimeric virus of first wave SARS-CoV-2 harboring the Omicron spike protein, we show that Omicron spike increase infection of C57BL/6 wildtype mice, but non-spike genes of Omicron confer attenuation of viral replication. Discussion Since this chimeric virus efficiently infected C57BL/6 wildtype mice, and replicated in their lungs, our findings illustrate a pathway for genetic mapping of virushost interactions during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia P. Ogger
- Section of Respiratory Infections, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Minerva Garcia Martín
- Section of Respiratory Infections, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Soyeon Jang
- Section of Respiratory Infections, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Brown
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ksenia Sukhova
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wilhelm Furnon
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Arvind H. Patel
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa Cowton
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Massimo Palmarini
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy S. Barclay
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cecilia Johansson
- Section of Respiratory Infections, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Ávila-Nieto C, Vergara-Alert J, Amengual-Rigo P, Ainsua-Enrich E, Brustolin M, Rodríguez de la Concepción ML, Pedreño-Lopez N, Rodon J, Urrea V, Pradenas E, Marfil S, Ballana E, Riveira-Muñoz E, Pérez M, Roca N, Tarrés-Freixas F, Cantero G, Pons-Grífols A, Rovirosa C, Aguilar-Gurrieri C, Ortiz R, Barajas A, Trinité B, Lepore R, Muñoz-Basagoiti J, Perez-Zsolt D, Izquierdo-Useros N, Valencia A, Blanco J, Guallar V, Clotet B, Segalés J, Carrillo J. Immunization with V987H-stabilized Spike glycoprotein protects K18-hACE2 mice and golden Syrian hamsters upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2349. [PMID: 38514609 PMCID: PMC10957958 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46714-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Safe and effective severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines are crucial to fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Most vaccines are based on a mutated version of the Spike glycoprotein [K986P/V987P (S-2P)] with improved stability, yield and immunogenicity. However, S-2P is still produced at low levels. Here, we describe the V987H mutation that increases by two-fold the production of the recombinant Spike and the exposure of the receptor binding domain (RBD). S-V987H immunogenicity is similar to S-2P in mice and golden Syrian hamsters (GSH), and superior to a monomeric RBD. S-V987H immunization confer full protection against severe disease in K18-hACE2 mice and GSH upon SARS-CoV-2 challenge (D614G or B.1.351 variants). Furthermore, S-V987H immunized K18-hACE2 mice show a faster tissue viral clearance than RBD- or S-2P-vaccinated animals challenged with D614G, B.1.351 or Omicron BQ1.1 variants. Thus, S-V987H protein might be considered for future SARS-CoV-2 vaccines development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Pep Amengual-Rigo
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Marco Brustolin
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jordi Rodon
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Victor Urrea
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Edwards Pradenas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Silvia Marfil
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ester Ballana
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruit, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC. ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Mònica Pérez
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Núria Roca
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ferran Tarrés-Freixas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Guillermo Cantero
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Carla Rovirosa
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - Raquel Ortiz
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ana Barajas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Benjamin Trinité
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Rosalba Lepore
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruit, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC. ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine. University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruit, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC. ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine. University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Victor Guallar
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruit, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC. ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine. University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Catalonia, Spain
- Fundaciò Lluita contra les infeccions. Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain.
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, UAB, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
| | - Jorge Carrillo
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruit, Badalona, Spain.
- CIBERINFEC. ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
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6
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Ullah I, Escudie F, Scandale I, Gilani Z, Gendron-Lepage G, Gaudette F, Mowbray C, Fraisse L, Bazin R, Finzi A, Mothes W, Kumar P, Chatelain E, Uchil PD. Bioluminescence imaging reveals enhanced SARS-CoV-2 clearance in mice with combinatorial regimens. iScience 2024; 27:109049. [PMID: 38361624 PMCID: PMC10867665 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) represent critical tools for combating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) that have escaped vaccine-elicited spike-based immunity and future coronaviruses with pandemic potential. Here, we used bioluminescence imaging to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of DAAs that target SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (favipiravir, molnupiravir) or main protease (nirmatrelvir) against Delta or Omicron VOCs in K18-hACE2 mice. Nirmatrelvir displayed the best efficacy followed by molnupiravir and favipiravir in suppressing viral loads in the lung. Unlike neutralizing antibody treatment, DAA monotherapy regimens did not eradicate SARS-CoV-2 in mice, but combining molnupiravir with nirmatrelvir exhibited superior additive efficacy and led to virus clearance. Furthermore, combining molnupiravir with caspase-1/4 inhibitor mitigated inflammation and lung pathology whereas combining molnupiravir with COVID-19 convalescent plasma demonstrated synergy, rapid virus clearance, and 100% survival. Thus, our study provides insights into in vivo treatment efficacies of DAAs and other effective combinations to bolster COVID-19 therapeutic arsenal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Ullah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Fanny Escudie
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zoela Gilani
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Fleur Gaudette
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, QC H2X0A9, Canada
| | - Charles Mowbray
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Fraisse
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Renée Bazin
- Hema-Quebec, Affaires Médicales et Innovation, Québec, QC G1V 5C3, Canada
| | - Andrés Finzi
- Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montréal, QC H2X0A9, Canada
- Departement de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2X0A9, Canada
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Priti Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pradeep D Uchil
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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7
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Kruglov AA, Bondareva MA, Gogoleva VS, Semin IK, Astrakhantseva IV, Zvartsev R, Lunin AS, Apolokhov VD, Shustova EY, Volok VP, Ustyugov AA, Ishmukhametov AA, Nedospasov SA, Kozlovskaya LI, Drutskaya MS. Inactivated whole virion vaccine protects K18-hACE2 Tg mice against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant via cross-reactive T cells and nonneutralizing antibody responses. Eur J Immunol 2024; 54:e2350664. [PMID: 38088236 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/02/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a systemic inflammatory disease initiated by SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. Multiple vaccines against the Wuhan variant of SARS-CoV-2 have been developed including a whole virion beta-propiolactone-inactivated vaccine based on the B.1.1 strain (CoviVac). Since most of the population has been vaccinated by targeting the original or early variants of SARS-CoV-2, the emergence of novel mutant variants raises concern over possible evasion of vaccine-induced immune responses. Here, we report on the mechanism of protection by CoviVac, a whole virion-based vaccine, against the Omicron variant. CoviVac-immunized K18-hACE2 Tg mice were protected against both prototype B.1.1 and BA.1-like (Omicron) variants. Subsequently, vaccinated K18-hACE2 Tg mice rapidly cleared the infection via cross-reactive T-cell responses and cross-reactive, non-neutralizing antibodies recognizing the Omicron variant Spike protein. Thus, our data indicate that efficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 variants can be achieved by the orchestrated action of cross-reactive T cells and non-neutralizing antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey A Kruglov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Systems Rheumatology, German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ), a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marina A Bondareva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Systems Rheumatology, German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ), a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Violetta S Gogoleva
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Iaroslav K Semin
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Systems Rheumatology, German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ), a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Irina V Astrakhantseva
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, Krasnodarsky Krai, Russia
| | - Ruslan Zvartsev
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksandr S Lunin
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasiliy D Apolokhov
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Yu Shustova
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Viktor P Volok
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksey A Ustyugov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, Russia
| | - Aydar A Ishmukhametov
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moskva, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergei A Nedospasov
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology and Biological Faculty, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, Krasnodarsky Krai, Russia
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Liubov I Kozlovskaya
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Poliomyelitis), Moscow, Russia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moskva, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina S Drutskaya
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, Krasnodarsky Krai, Russia
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8
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Willett JDS, Gravel A, Dubuc I, Gudimard L, Dos Santos Pereira Andrade AC, Lacasse É, Fortin P, Liu JL, Cervantes JA, Galvez JH, Djambazian HHV, Zwaig M, Roy AM, Lee S, Chen SH, Ragoussis J, Flamand L. SARS-CoV-2 rapidly evolves lineage-specific phenotypic differences when passaged repeatedly in immune-naïve mice. Commun Biol 2024; 7:191. [PMID: 38365933 PMCID: PMC10873417 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05878-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 despite the development of vaccines and a degree of herd immunity is partly due to viral evolution reducing vaccine and treatment efficacy. Serial infections of wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 in Balb/c mice yield mouse-adapted strains with greater infectivity and mortality. We investigate if passaging unmodified B.1.351 (Beta) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) 20 times in K18-ACE2 mice, expressing the human ACE2 receptor, in a BSL-3 laboratory without selective pressures, drives human health-relevant evolution and if evolution is lineage-dependent. Late-passage virus causes more severe disease, at organism and lung tissue scales, with late-passage Delta demonstrating antibody resistance and interferon suppression. This resistance co-occurs with a de novo spike S371F mutation, linked with both traits. S371F, an Omicron-characteristic mutation, is co-inherited at times with spike E1182G per Nanopore sequencing, existing in different within-sample viral variants at others. Both S371F and E1182G are linked to mammalian GOLGA7 and ZDHHC5 interactions, which mediate viral-cell entry and antiviral response. This study demonstrates SARS-CoV-2's tendency to evolve with phenotypic consequences, its evolution varying by lineage, and suggests non-dominant quasi-species contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Daniel Sunday Willett
- Quantitative Life Sciences Ph.D. Program, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Annie Gravel
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Dubuc
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Leslie Gudimard
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Émile Lacasse
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Paul Fortin
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche ARThrite-Arthrite, Recherche et Traitements, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Ju-Ling Liu
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jose Avila Cervantes
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jose Hector Galvez
- Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Haig Hugo Vrej Djambazian
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Melissa Zwaig
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Roy
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sally Lee
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shu-Huang Chen
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jiannis Ragoussis
- McGill Genome Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Louis Flamand
- Axe maladies infectieuses et immunitaires, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec- Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
- Département de microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.
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9
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Brugger SW, Grose JH, Decker CH, Pickett BE, Davis MF. Genomic Analyses of Major SARS-CoV-2 Variants Predicting Multiple Regions of Pathogenic and Transmissive Importance. Viruses 2024; 16:276. [PMID: 38400051 PMCID: PMC10891864 DOI: 10.3390/v16020276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has fueled its global proliferation since its discovery in 2019, with several notable variants having been responsible for increases in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Analyses of codon bias and usage in these variants between phylogenetic clades or lineages may grant insights into the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and identify target codons indicative of evolutionary or mutative trends that may prove useful in tracking or defending oneself against emerging strains. We processed a cohort of 120 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences through a statistical and bioinformatic pipeline to identify codons presenting evidence of selective pressure as well as codon coevolution. We report the identification of two codon sites in the orf8 and N genes demonstrating such evidence with real-world impacts on pathogenicity and transmissivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mary F. Davis
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA (J.H.G.); (B.E.P.)
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10
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de Campos-Mata L, Trinité B, Modrego A, Tejedor Vaquero S, Pradenas E, Pons-Grífols A, Rodrigo Melero N, Carlero D, Marfil S, Santiago C, Raïch-Regué D, Bueno-Carrasco MT, Tarrés-Freixas F, Abancó F, Urrea V, Izquierdo-Useros N, Riveira-Muñoz E, Ballana E, Pérez M, Vergara-Alert J, Segalés J, Carolis C, Arranz R, Blanco J, Magri G. A monoclonal antibody targeting a large surface of the receptor binding motif shows pan-neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 activity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1051. [PMID: 38316751 PMCID: PMC10844294 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45171-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Here we report the characterization of 17T2, a SARS-CoV-2 pan-neutralizing human monoclonal antibody isolated from a COVID-19 convalescent individual infected during the first pandemic wave. 17T2 is a class 1 VH1-58/κ3-20 antibody, derived from a receptor binding domain (RBD)-specific IgA+ memory B cell, with a broad neutralizing activity against former and new SARS-CoV-2 variants, including XBB.1.16 and BA.2.86 Omicron subvariants. Consistently, 17T2 demonstrates in vivo prophylactic and therapeutic activity against Omicron BA.1.1 infection in K18-hACE2 mice. Cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction shows that 17T2 binds the BA.1 spike with the RBD in "up" position and blocks the receptor binding motif, as other structurally similar antibodies do, including S2E12. Yet, unlike S2E12, 17T2 retains its neutralizing activity against all variants tested, probably due to a larger RBD contact area. These results highlight the impact of small structural antibody changes on neutralizing performance and identify 17T2 as a potential candidate for future clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leire de Campos-Mata
- Translational Clinical Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- Division of Immunology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benjamin Trinité
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Andrea Modrego
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Tejedor Vaquero
- Translational Clinical Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Edwards Pradenas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Pons-Grífols
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Natalia Rodrigo Melero
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego Carlero
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Marfil
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - César Santiago
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Dàlia Raïch-Regué
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - Ferran Tarrés-Freixas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Ferran Abancó
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Victor Urrea
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Riveira-Muñoz
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ester Ballana
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
| | - Mónica Pérez
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Carlo Carolis
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Rocío Arranz
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Spain.
- CIBERINFEC, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain.
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Giuliana Magri
- Translational Clinical Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
- Immunology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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11
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Ávila-Nieto C, Vergara-Alert J, Amengual-Rigo P, Ainsua-Enrich E, Brustolin M, Rodríguez de la Concepción ML, Pedreño-Lopez N, Rodon J, Urrea V, Pradenas E, Marfil S, Ballana E, Riveira-Muñoz E, Pérez M, Roca N, Tarrés-Freixas F, Carabelli J, Cantero G, Pons-Grífols A, Rovirosa C, Aguilar-Gurrieri C, Ortiz R, Barajas A, Trinité B, Lepore R, Muñoz-Basagoiti J, Perez-Zsolt D, Izquierdo-Useros N, Valencia A, Blanco J, Clotet B, Guallar V, Segalés J, Carrillo J. Novel Spike-stabilized trimers with improved production protect K18-hACE2 mice and golden Syrian hamsters from the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1291972. [PMID: 38124756 PMCID: PMC10731958 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1291972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Most COVID-19 vaccines are based on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein (S) or their subunits. However, S shows some structural instability that limits its immunogenicity and production, hampering the development of recombinant S-based vaccines. The introduction of the K986P and V987P (S-2P) mutations increases the production and immunogenicity of the recombinant S trimer, suggesting that these two parameters are related. Nevertheless, S-2P still shows some molecular instability and it is produced with low yield. Here we described a novel set of mutations identified by molecular modeling and located in the S2 region of the S-2P that increase its production up to five-fold. Besides their immunogenicity, the efficacy of two representative S-2P-based mutants, S-29 and S-21, protecting from a heterologous SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant challenge was assayed in K18-hACE2 mice (an animal model of severe SARS-CoV-2 disease) and golden Syrian hamsters (GSH) (a moderate disease model). S-21 induced higher level of WH1 and Delta variants neutralizing antibodies than S-2P in K18-hACE2 mice three days after challenge. Viral load in nasal turbinate and oropharyngeal samples were reduced in S-21 and S-29 vaccinated mice. Despite that, only the S-29 protein protected 100% of K18-hACE2 mice from severe disease. When GSH were analyzed, all immunized animals were protected from disease development irrespectively of the immunogen they received. Therefore, the higher yield of S-29, as well as its improved immunogenicity and efficacy protecting from the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant, pinpoint the S-29 mutant as an alternative to the S-2P protein for future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pep Amengual-Rigo
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Marco Brustolin
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Jordi Rodon
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victor Urrea
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | | | | | - Ester Ballana
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Mònica Pérez
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Roca
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Guillermo Cantero
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Raquel Ortiz
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | - Ana Barajas
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
| | | | - Rosalba Lepore
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Nuria Izquierdo-Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic – UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (UVic – UCC), Vic, Spain
- Fundació Lluita contra les Infeccions, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Victor Guallar
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat Mixta d’Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, UAB, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jorge Carrillo
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Spain
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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12
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Saturday T, van Doremalen N. Pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 in nonhuman primates. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 63:101375. [PMID: 37826865 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2023.101375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
The continued pressure of COVID-19 on public health worldwide underlines the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms of disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Though many animal models are readily available for use, the nonhuman primate (NHP) models are considered the gold standard in recapitulating disease progression in humans. In this review, we highlight the relevant research since the beginning of the pandemic to critically evaluate the importance of this model. We characterize the disease's clinical manifestations, aspects of viral replication and shedding, induction of the host's immune response, and pathological findings that broaden our understanding of the importance of NHPs in research to strengthen our public health approach to the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Saturday
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Neeltje van Doremalen
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA.
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13
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Chauhan NR, Kundu S, Bal R, Chattopadhyay D, Sahu R, Mehto S, Yadav R, Krishna S, Jena KK, Satapathy S, Pv A, Murmu KC, Singh B, Patnaik S, Jena S, Harshan KH, Syed GH, Idris MM, Prasad P, Chauhan S. Transgenic mouse models support a protective role of type I IFN response in SARS-CoV-2 infection-related lung immunopathology and neuroinvasion. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113275. [PMID: 37874678 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Type I interferon (IFN-I) response is the first line of host defense against invading viruses. In the absence of definite mouse models, the role of IFN-I in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains perplexing. Here, we develop two mouse models, one with constitutively high IFN-I response (hACE2; Irgm1-/-) and the other with dampened IFN-I response (hACE2; Ifnar1-/-), to comprehend the role of IFN-I response. We report that hACE2; Irgm1-/- mice are resistant to lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection. In contrast, a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection along with immune cell infiltration, cytokine storm, and enhanced pathology is observed in the lungs and brain of hACE2; Ifnar1-/- mice. The hACE2; Irgm1-/-Ifnar1-/- double-knockout mice display loss of the protective phenotype observed in hACE2; Irgm1-/- mice, suggesting that heightened IFN-I response accounts for the observed immunity. Taking the results together, we demonstrate that IFN-I protects from lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection, and Irgm1 (IRGM) could be an excellent therapeutic target against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishant Ranjan Chauhan
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India.
| | - Soumya Kundu
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Ramyasingh Bal
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India; School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Diya Chattopadhyay
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Rinku Sahu
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India; Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Subhash Mehto
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Rina Yadav
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India; Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Sivaram Krishna
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India; Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Kautilya Kumar Jena
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Sameekshya Satapathy
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Anusha Pv
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Krushna C Murmu
- Epigenetic and Chromatin Biology Unit, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Bharati Singh
- Virus-Host Interactions Lab, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | | | - Sarita Jena
- Experimental Animal Facility, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Krishnan H Harshan
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Gulam Hussain Syed
- Virus-Host Interactions Lab, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Mohammed M Idris
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Punit Prasad
- Epigenetic and Chromatin Biology Unit, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
| | - Santosh Chauhan
- Cell Biology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar 751023, India; CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India.
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14
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Radhakrishnan N, Liu M, Idowu B, Bansari A, Rathi K, Magar S, Mundhra L, Sarmiento J, Ghaffar U, Kattan J, Jones R, George J, Yang Y, Southwick F. Comparison of the clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) infected patients from a single hospitalist service. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:747. [PMID: 37907849 PMCID: PMC10617227 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08714-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While existing evidence suggests less severe clinical manifestations and lower mortality are associated with the Omicron variant as compared to the Delta variant. However, these studies fail to control for differences in health systems facilities and providers. By comparing patients hospitalized on a single medical service during the Delta and Omicron surges we were able to conduct a more accurate comparison of the two varaints' clinical manifestations and outcomes. METHODS We conducted a prospective study of 364 Omicron (BA.1) infected patients on a single hospitalist service and compared these findings to a retrospective analysis of 241 Delta variant infected patients managed on the same service. We examined differences in symptoms, laboratory measures, and clinical severity between the two variants and assessed potential risk drivers for case mortality. FINDINGS Patients infected with Omicron were older and had more underlying medical conditions increasing their risk of death. Although they were less severely ill and required less supplemental oxygen and dexamethasone, in-hospital mortality was similar to Delta cases, 7.14% vs. 4.98% for Delta (q-value = 0.38). Patients older than 60 years or with immunocompromised conditions had much higher risk of death during hospitalization, with estimated odds ratios of 17.46 (95% CI: 5.05, 110.51) and 2.80 (1.03, 7.08) respectively. Neither vaccine history nor variant type played a significant role in case fatality. The Rothman score, NEWS-2 score, level of neutrophils, level of care, age, and creatinine level at admission were highly predictive of in-hospital death. INTERPRETATION In hospitalized patients, the Omicron variant is less virulent than the Delta variant but is associated with a comparable mortality. Clinical and laboratory features at admission are informative about the risk of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Radhakrishnan
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - M Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - B Idowu
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - A Bansari
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - K Rathi
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - S Magar
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - L Mundhra
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - J Sarmiento
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - U Ghaffar
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - J Kattan
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - R Jones
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - J George
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA
| | - Y Yang
- Department of Statistics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, 310 Herty Drive, Athens, GA, 30602, Greece.
| | - F Southwick
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 6362 NW 41st Ave, Gainesville, FL, 32606, USA.
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15
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Abassi L, Bertoglio F, Mačak Šafranko Ž, Schirrmann T, Greweling-Pils M, Seifert O, Khan F, Katzmarzyk M, Jacobsen H, Gödecke N, Heine PA, Frenzel A, Nowack H, Dübel S, Kurolt IC, Kontermann RE, Markotić A, Schubert M, Hust M, Čičin-Šain L. Evaluation of the Neutralizing Antibody STE90-C11 against SARS-CoV-2 Delta Infection and Its Recognition of Other Variants of Concerns. Viruses 2023; 15:2153. [PMID: 38005829 PMCID: PMC10675157 DOI: 10.3390/v15112153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
As of now, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to over 770 million confirmed cases and caused approximately 7 million deaths. While several vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been developed and deployed, natural selection against immune recognition of viral antigens by antibodies has fueled the evolution of new emerging variants and limited the immune protection by vaccines and mAb. To optimize the efficiency of mAb, it is imperative to understand how they neutralize the variants of concern (VoCs) and to investigate the mutations responsible for immune escape. In this study, we show the in vitro neutralizing effects of a previously described monoclonal antibody (STE90-C11) against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (B.1.617.2) and its in vivo effects in therapeutic and prophylactic settings. We also show that the Omicron variant avoids recognition by this mAb. To define which mutations are responsible for the escape in the Omicron variant, we used a library of pseudovirus mutants carrying each of the mutations present in the Omicron VoC individually. We show that either 501Y or 417K point mutations were sufficient for the escape of Omicron recognition by STE90-C11. To test how escape mutations act against a combination of antibodies, we tested the same library against bispecific antibodies, recognizing two discrete regions of the spike antigen. While Omicron escaped the control by the bispecific antibodies, the same antibodies controlled all mutants with individual mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Abassi
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (F.B.); (P.A.H.); (S.D.); (M.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Željka Mačak Šafranko
- Research Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (Ž.M.Š.); (I.-C.K.); (A.M.)
| | - Thomas Schirrmann
- YUMAB GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (T.S.); (A.F.)
| | - Marina Greweling-Pils
- Core Facility of Comparative Medicine, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany;
| | - Oliver Seifert
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany; (O.S.); (H.N.); (R.E.K.)
| | - Fawad Khan
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
| | - Maeva Katzmarzyk
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
| | - Henning Jacobsen
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
| | - Natascha Gödecke
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (F.B.); (P.A.H.); (S.D.); (M.S.); (M.H.)
| | - André Frenzel
- YUMAB GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (T.S.); (A.F.)
| | - Helena Nowack
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany; (O.S.); (H.N.); (R.E.K.)
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (F.B.); (P.A.H.); (S.D.); (M.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Ivan-Christian Kurolt
- Research Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (Ž.M.Š.); (I.-C.K.); (A.M.)
| | - Roland E. Kontermann
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany; (O.S.); (H.N.); (R.E.K.)
| | - Alemka Markotić
- Research Department, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (Ž.M.Š.); (I.-C.K.); (A.M.)
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Maren Schubert
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (F.B.); (P.A.H.); (S.D.); (M.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Michael Hust
- Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany; (F.B.); (P.A.H.); (S.D.); (M.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Luka Čičin-Šain
- Department of Viral Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.A.); (F.K.); (M.K.); (H.J.); (N.G.)
- Centre for Individualized Infection Medicine, a Joint Venture of HZI and MHH, 31625 Hannover, Germany
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16
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Imbiakha B, Ezzatpour S, Buchholz DW, Sahler J, Ye C, Olarte-Castillo XA, Zou A, Kwas C, O’Hare K, Choi A, Adeleke RA, Khomandiak S, Goodman L, Jager MC, Whittaker GR, Martinez-Sobrido L, August A, Aguilar HC. Age-dependent acquisition of pathogenicity by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadj1736. [PMID: 37738347 PMCID: PMC10516498 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj1736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Pathology studies of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants of concern (VOC) are challenged by the lack of pathogenic animal models. While Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 replicate in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice, they cause minimal to negligible morbidity and mortality, and less is known about more recent Omicron VOC. Here, we show that in contrast to Omicron BA.1, BA.5-infected mice exhibited high levels of morbidity and mortality, correlating with higher early viral loads. Neither Omicron BA.1 nor BA.5 replicated in brains, unlike most prior VOC. Only Omicron BA.5-infected mice exhibited substantial weight loss, high pathology scores in lungs, and high levels of inflammatory cells and cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and 5- to 8-month-old mice exhibited 100% fatality. These results identify a rodent model for pathogenesis or antiviral countermeasure studies for circulating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5. Further, differences in morbidity and mortality between Omicron BA.1 and BA.5 provide a model for understanding viral determinants of pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Imbiakha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Shahrzad Ezzatpour
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - David W. Buchholz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Julie Sahler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78227, USA
| | - Ximena A. Olarte-Castillo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Anna Zou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Cole Kwas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Katelyn O’Hare
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Annette Choi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Richard Ayomide Adeleke
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Solomiia Khomandiak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Laura Goodman
- James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Public & Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Mason C. Jager
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gary R. Whittaker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Public & Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | | | - Avery August
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Hector C. Aguilar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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17
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Rizvi ZA, Dandotiya J, Sadhu S, Khatri R, Singh J, Singh V, Adhikari N, Sharma K, Das V, Pandey AK, Das B, Medigeshi G, Mani S, Bhatnagar S, Samal S, Pandey AK, Garg PK, Awasthi A. Omicron sub-lineage BA.5 infection results in attenuated pathology in hACE2 transgenic mice. Commun Biol 2023; 6:935. [PMID: 37704701 PMCID: PMC10499788 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05263-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A recently emerged sub-lineage of Omicron, BA.5, together with BA.4, caused a fifth wave of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in South Africa and subsequently emerged as a predominant strain globally due to its high transmissibility. The lethality of BA.5 infection has not been studied in an acute hACE2 transgenic (hACE2.Tg) mouse model. Here, we investigated tissue-tropism and immuno-pathology induced by BA.5 infection in hACE2.Tg mice. Our data show that intranasal infection of BA.5 in hACE2.Tg mice resulted in attenuated pulmonary infection and pathology with diminished COVID-19-induced clinical and pathological manifestations. BA.5, similar to Omicron (B.1.1.529), infection led to attenuated production of inflammatory cytokines, anti-viral response and effector T cell response as compared to the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2, Wuhan-Hu-1. We show that mice recovered from B.1.1.529 infection showed robust protection against BA.5 infection associated with reduced lung viral load and pathology. Together, our data provide insights as to why BA.5 infection escapes previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure induced-T cell immunity but may result in milder immuno-pathology and alleviated chances of re-infectivity in Omicron-recovered individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaigham Abbas Rizvi
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India.
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India.
| | - Jyotsna Dandotiya
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Srikanth Sadhu
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Ritika Khatri
- Centre for Viral Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Janmejay Singh
- Bioassay Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Virendra Singh
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Neeta Adhikari
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Kritika Sharma
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Vinayake Das
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Amit Kumar Pandey
- Centre for Tuberculosis and Bacterial Diseases Research, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Bhabatosh Das
- Centre for Microbiome and Anti-Microbial Resistance, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Guruprasad Medigeshi
- Bioassay Laboratory, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Shalendra Mani
- Centre for Viral Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Shinjini Bhatnagar
- Centre for Maternal and Child Health, Translational Health Science and Technology NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Sweety Samal
- Centre for Viral Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | - Anil Kumar Pandey
- Department of Physiology, ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Pramod Kumar Garg
- Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Amit Awasthi
- Centre for Immuno-biology and Immunotherapy, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India.
- Immunology-Core Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR-Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India.
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18
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Usai C, Mateu L, Brander C, Vergara-Alert J, Segalés J. Animal models to study the neurological manifestations of the post-COVID-19 condition. Lab Anim (NY) 2023; 52:202-210. [PMID: 37620562 PMCID: PMC10462483 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-023-01231-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
More than 40% of individuals infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have experienced persistent or relapsing multi-systemic symptoms months after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) has debilitating effects on the daily life of patients and encompasses a broad spectrum of neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms including olfactory and gustative impairment, difficulty with concentration and short-term memory, sleep disorders and depression. Animal models have been instrumental to understand acute COVID-19 and validate prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. Similarly, studies post-viral clearance in hamsters, mice and nonhuman primates inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 have been useful to unveil some of the aspects of PCC. Transcriptomic alterations in the central nervous system, persistent activation of immune cells and impaired hippocampal neurogenesis seem to have a critical role in the neurological manifestations observed in animal models infected with SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, the proinflammatory transcriptomic profile observed in the central nervous system of SARS-CoV-2-inoculated mice partially overlaps with the pathological changes that affect microglia in humans during Alzheimer's disease and aging, suggesting shared mechanisms between these conditions. None of the currently available animal models fully replicates PCC in humans; therefore, multiple models, together with the fine-tuning of experimental conditions, will probably be needed to understand the mechanisms of PCC neurological symptoms. Moreover, given that the intrinsic characteristics of the new variants of concern and the immunological status of individuals might influence PCC manifestations, more studies are needed to explore the role of these factors and their combinations in PCC, adding further complexity to the design of experimental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Usai
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Lourdes Mateu
- Infectious Disease Service, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute and Hospital, Badalona, Spain
| | - Christian Brander
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Institute for Health Science Research Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
- CIBERINFEC, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la UAB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, Campus de la UAB, Bellaterra, Spain.
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19
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Mann BJ, Chhabra P, Ma M, Brovero SG, Hannan RT, Sturek JM, Jones MK, Linden J, Brayman KL. Improved survival of SARS COV-2-infected K18- hACE2 mice treated with adenosine A 2AR agonist. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19226. [PMID: 37664715 PMCID: PMC10469936 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A life-threatening manifestation of Covid-19 infection is a cytokine storm that requires hospitalization and supplemental oxygen. Various strategies to reduce inflammatory cytokines have had some success in limiting cytokine storm and improving survival. Agonists of adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR) reduce cytokine release from most immune cells. Apadenoson is a potent and selective anti-inflammatory adenosine analog that reduces inflammation. When administered by subcutaneous osmotic pumps to mice infected with SARS CoV-2, Apadenoson was found to improve the outcomes of infection as measured by a decrease in weight loss, improved clinical symptoms, reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in bronchial lavage (BAL) fluid, and enhanced survival of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. These results support further examination of A2AR agonists as therapies for treating cytokine storm due to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara J. Mann
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Preeti Chhabra
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Mingyang Ma
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Savannah G. Brovero
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Riley T. Hannan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Sturek
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Marieke K. Jones
- Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Joel Linden
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Kenneth L. Brayman
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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20
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Beitari S, Duque D, Bavananthasivam J, Hewitt M, Sandhu JK, Hadžisejdić I, Tran A. Cross protection to SARS-CoV-2 variants in hamsters with naturally-acquired immunity. Virol J 2023; 20:167. [PMID: 37507719 PMCID: PMC10386765 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02136-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Since SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in late 2019, multiple variations of the original virus have emerged. Each variant harbors accumulations of mutations, particularly within the spike glycoprotein, that are associated with increased viral transmissibility and escape immunity. The different mutations in the spike protein of different variants shape the subsequent antibody and T cell responses, such that exposure to different spike proteins can result in reduced or enhanced responses to heterologous variants further down the line. Globally, people have been exposed and re-exposed to multiple variations of the Ancestral strain, including the five variants of concerns. Studies have shown that the protective immune response of an individual is influenced by which strain or combination of strains they are exposed to. The initial exposure to a specific strain may also shape their subsequent immune patterns and response to later infections with a heterologous virus. Most immunological observations were carried out early during the pandemic when the Ancestral strain was circulating. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants exhibit varying patterns of disease severity, waning immunity, immune evasion and sensitivity to therapeutics. Here we investigated the cross-protection in hamsters previously infected with a variant of concern (VOC) and subsequently re-infected with a heterologous variant. We also determined if cross-protection and immunity were dependent on the specific virus to which the hamster was first exposed. We further profiled the host cytokine response induced by each SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as subsequent to re-infection. A comparative analysis of the three VOCs revealed that Alpha variant was the most pathogenic VOC to emerge. We showed that naturally acquired immunity protected hamsters from subsequent re-infection with heterologous SARS-CoV-2 variant, regardless which variant the animal was first exposed to. Our study supports observations that heterologous infection of different SARS-CoV-2 variants do not exacerbate disease in subsequent re-infections. The continual emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants mandates a better understanding of cross-protection and immune imprinting in infected individuals. Such information is essential to guide vaccine strategy and public policy to emerging SARS-CoV-2 VOCs and future novel pandemic coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saina Beitari
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Diana Duque
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jegarubee Bavananthasivam
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Melissa Hewitt
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jagdeep K Sandhu
- Preclinical Imaging, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ita Hadžisejdić
- Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Anh Tran
- Infectious Diseases, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, ON, Ottawa, Canada.
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21
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Ullah I, Escudie F, Scandale I, Gilani Z, Gendron-Lepage G, Gaudette F, Mowbray C, Fraisse L, Bazin R, Finzi A, Mothes W, Kumar P, Chatelain E, Uchil PD. Combinatorial Regimens Augment Drug Monotherapy for SARS-CoV-2 Clearance in Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.543159. [PMID: 37398307 PMCID: PMC10312581 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.543159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) represent critical tools for combating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) that evolve to escape spike-based immunity and future coronaviruses with pandemic potential. Here, we used bioluminescence imaging to evaluate therapeutic efficacy of DAAs that target SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (favipiravir, molnupiravir) or Main protease (nirmatrelvir) against Delta or Omicron VOCs in K18-hACE2 mice. Nirmatrelvir displayed the best efficacy followed by molnupiravir and favipiravir in suppressing viral loads in the lung. Unlike neutralizing antibody treatment, DAA monotherapy did not eliminate SARS-CoV-2 in mice. However, targeting two viral enzymes by combining molnupiravir with nirmatrelvir resulted in superior efficacy and virus clearance. Furthermore, combining molnupiravir with Caspase-1/4 inhibitor mitigated inflammation and lung pathology whereas combining molnupiravir with COVID-19 convalescent plasma yielded rapid virus clearance and 100% survival. Thus, our study provides insights into treatment efficacies of DAAs and other effective combinations to bolster COVID-19 therapeutic arsenal.
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22
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da Silva Santos Y, Gamon THM, de Azevedo MSP, Telezynski BL, de Souza EE, de Oliveira DBL, Dombrowski JG, Rosa-Fernandes L, Palmisano G, de Moura Carvalho LJ, Luvizotto MCR, Wrenger C, Covas DT, Curi R, Marinho CRF, Durigon EL, Epiphanio S. Virulence Profiles of Wild-Type, P.1 and Delta SARS-CoV-2 Variants in K18-hACE2 Transgenic Mice. Viruses 2023; 15:v15040999. [PMID: 37112979 PMCID: PMC10146242 DOI: 10.3390/v15040999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, the world has been experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and we now face the emergence of several variants. We aimed to assess the differences between the wild-type (Wt) (Wuhan) strain and the P.1 (Gamma) and Delta variants using infected K18-hACE2 mice. The clinical manifestations, behavior, virus load, pulmonary capacity, and histopathological alterations were analyzed. The P.1-infected mice showed weight loss and more severe clinical manifestations of COVID-19 than the Wt and Delta-infected mice. The respiratory capacity was reduced in the P.1-infected mice compared to the other groups. Pulmonary histological findings demonstrated that a more aggressive disease was generated by the P.1 and Delta variants compared to the Wt strain of the virus. The quantification of the SARS-CoV-2 viral copies varied greatly among the infected mice although it was higher in P.1-infected mice on the day of death. Our data revealed that K18-hACE2 mice infected with the P.1 variant develop a more severe infectious disease than those infected with the other variants, despite the significant heterogeneity among the mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin da Silva Santos
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunopathology of Malaria, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Laboratory of Malaria Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Thais Helena Martins Gamon
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Marcela Santiago Pacheco de Azevedo
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunoparasitology, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Bruna Larotonda Telezynski
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Edmarcia Elisa de Souza
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Danielle Bruna Leal de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo 05652-900, Brazil
| | - Jamille Gregório Dombrowski
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunoparasitology, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Livia Rosa-Fernandes
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory, Department of Parasitology, ICB, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia
| | | | | | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Dimas Tadeu Covas
- Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05508-040, Brazil
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Rui Curi
- Interdisciplinary Program of Health Sciences, Cruzeiro do Sul University, São Paulo 08060-070, Brazil
- Immunobiological Production Section, Bioindustrial Center, Butantan Institute, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil
| | - Claudio Romero Farias Marinho
- Laboratory of Experimental Immunoparasitology, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Edison Luiz Durigon
- Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
- Scientific Plataform Pasteur/USP, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-020, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Epiphanio
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunopathology of Malaria, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
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23
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Thieulent CJ, Dittmar W, Balasuriya UBR, Crossland NA, Wen X, Richt JA, Carossino M. Mouse-Adapted SARS-CoV-2 MA10 Strain Displays Differential Pulmonary Tropism and Accelerated Viral Replication, Neurodissemination, and Pulmonary Host Responses in K18-hACE2 Mice. mSphere 2023; 8:e0055822. [PMID: 36728430 PMCID: PMC9942576 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00558-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Several models were developed to study the pathogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as the in vivo efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics. Since wild-type mice are naturally resistant to infection by ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strains, several transgenic mouse models expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) were developed. An alternative approach has been to develop mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strains. Here, we compared the clinical progression, viral replication kinetics and dissemination, pulmonary tropism, and host innate immune response dynamics between the mouse-adapted MA10 strain and its parental strain (USA-WA1/2020) following intranasal inoculation of K18-hACE2 mice, a widely used model. Compared to its parental counterpart, the MA10 strain induced earlier clinical decline with significantly higher viral replication and earlier neurodissemination. Importantly, the MA10 strain also showed a wider tropism, with infection of bronchiolar epithelia. While both SARS-CoV-2 strains induced comparable pulmonary cytokine/chemokine responses, many proinflammatory and monocyte-recruitment chemokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IP-10/CXCL10, and MCP-1/CCL2, showed an earlier peak in MA10-infected mice. Furthermore, both strains induced a similar downregulation of murine Ace2, with only a transient downregulation of Tmprss2 and no alterations in hACE2 expression. Overall, these data demonstrate that in K18-hACE2 mice, the MA10 strain has a pulmonary tropism that more closely resembles SARS-CoV-2 tropism in humans (airways and pneumocytes) than its parental strain. Its rapid replication and neurodissemination and early host pulmonary responses can have a significant impact on the clinical outcomes of infection and are, therefore, critical features to consider for study designs using these strains and mouse model. IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is still significantly impacting health care systems around the globe. Refined animal models are needed to study SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity as well as efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics. In line with this, thorough evaluation of animal models and virus strains/variants are paramount for standardization and meaningful comparisons. Here, we demonstrated differences in replication dynamics between the Wuhan-like USA-WA1/2020 strain and the derivative mouse-adapted MA10 strain in K18-hACE2 mice. The MA10 strain showed accelerated viral replication and neurodissemination, differential pulmonary tropism, and earlier pulmonary innate immune responses. The observed differences allow us to better refine experimental designs when considering the use of the MA10 strain in the widely utilized K18-hACE2 murine model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Côme J. Thieulent
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Wellesley Dittmar
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Udeni B. R. Balasuriya
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Crossland
- National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xue Wen
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Juergen A. Richt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Mariano Carossino
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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24
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Barreiro A, Prenafeta A, Bech-Sabat G, Roca M, Perozo Mur E, March R, González-González L, Madrenas L, Corominas J, Fernández A, Moros A, Cañete M, Molas M, Pentinat-Pelegrin T, Panosa C, Moreno A, Puigvert Molas E, Pol Vilarrassa E, Palmada J, Garriga C, Prat Cabañas T, Iglesias-Fernández J, Vergara-Alert J, Lorca-Oró C, Roca N, Fernández-Bastit L, Rodon J, Pérez M, Segalés J, Pradenas E, Marfil S, Trinité B, Ortiz R, Clotet B, Blanco J, Díaz Pedroza J, Ampudia Carrasco R, Rosales Salgado Y, Loubat-Casanovas J, Capdevila Larripa S, Prado JG, Barretina J, Sisteré-Oró M, Cebollada Rica P, Meyerhans A, Ferrer L. Preclinical evaluation of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on a recombinant RBD fusion heterodimer of SARS-CoV-2. iScience 2023; 26:106126. [PMID: 36748086 PMCID: PMC9893798 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Current COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with a decline in infection rates, prevention of severe disease, and a decrease in mortality rates. However, SARS-CoV-2 variants are continuously evolving, and development of new accessible COVID-19 vaccines is essential to mitigate the pandemic. Here, we present data on preclinical studies in mice of a receptor-binding domain (RBD)-based recombinant protein vaccine (PHH-1V) consisting of an RBD fusion heterodimer comprising the B.1.351 and B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variants formulated in SQBA adjuvant, an oil-in-water emulsion. A prime-boost immunisation with PHH-1V in BALB/c and K18-hACE2 mice induced a CD4+ and CD8+ T cell response and RBD-binding antibodies with neutralizing activity against several variants, and also showed a good tolerability profile. Significantly, RBD fusion heterodimer vaccination conferred 100% efficacy, preventing mortality in SARS-CoV-2 infected K18-hACE2 mice, but also reducing Beta, Delta and Omicron infection in lower respiratory airways. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of this recombinant vaccine strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Barreiro
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain,Corresponding author
| | - Antoni Prenafeta
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain,Corresponding author
| | | | - Mercè Roca
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Ricard March
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Laia Madrenas
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Manuel Cañete
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | - Mercè Molas
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | - Clara Panosa
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Jordi Palmada
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | - Carme Garriga
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
| | | | | | - Júlia Vergara-Alert
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Cristina Lorca-Oró
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Núria Roca
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Leira Fernández-Bastit
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jordi Rodon
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Mònica Pérez
- Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, CReSA (IRTA-UAB), Campus de la UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain,Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Edwards Pradenas
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Silvia Marfil
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Benjamin Trinité
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Raquel Ortiz
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain,University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, 08500 Catalonia, Spain
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain,University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, 08500 Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jorge Díaz Pedroza
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Rosa Ampudia Carrasco
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Yaiza Rosales Salgado
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Jordina Loubat-Casanovas
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Sara Capdevila Larripa
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Julia Garcia Prado
- IrsiCaixa. AIDS Research Institute, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Can Ruti Campus, UAB, 08916 Badalona, Spain,Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Jordi Barretina
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (CMCiB-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Marta Sisteré-Oró
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Cebollada Rica
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas Meyerhans
- Infection Biology Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Ferrer
- HIPRA, Avda. La Selva, 135, Amer, 17170 Girona, Spain
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25
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Nakandakari-Higa S, Parsa R, Reis BS, de Carvalho RVH, Mesin L, Hoffmann HH, Bortolatto J, Muramatsu H, Lin PJC, Bilate AM, Rice CM, Pardi N, Mucida D, Victora GD, Canesso MCC. A minimally-edited mouse model for infection with multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1007080. [PMID: 36451809 PMCID: PMC9703079 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient mouse models to study SARS-CoV-2 infection are critical for the development and assessment of vaccines and therapeutic approaches to mitigate the current pandemic and prevent reemergence of COVID-19. While the first generation of mouse models allowed SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis, they relied on ectopic expression and non-physiological levels of human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2). Here we generated a mouse model carrying the minimal set of modifications necessary for productive infection with multiple strains of SARS-CoV-2. Substitution of only three amino acids in the otherwise native mouse Ace2 locus (Ace2 TripleMutant or Ace2™), was sufficient to render mice susceptible to both SARS-CoV-2 strains USA-WA1/2020 and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Infected Ace2™ mice exhibited weight loss and lung damage and inflammation, similar to COVID-19 patients. Previous exposure to USA-WA1/2020 or mRNA vaccination generated memory B cells that participated in plasmablast responses during breakthrough B.1.1.529 infection. Thus, the Ace2™ mouse replicates human disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection and provides a tool to study immune responses to sequential infections in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roham Parsa
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bernardo S. Reis
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Luka Mesin
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hans-Heinrich Hoffmann
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Juliana Bortolatto
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Angelina M. Bilate
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Charles M. Rice
- Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daniel Mucida
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gabriel D. Victora
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Maria Cecilia C. Canesso
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Dynamics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
- Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
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26
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James J, Byrne AMP, Goharriz H, Golding M, Cuesta JMA, Mollett BC, Shipley R, M McElhinney L, Fooks AR, Brookes SM. Infectious droplet exposure is an inefficient route for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the ferret model. J Gen Virol 2022; 103. [PMID: 36748502 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans, has a wide host range, naturally infecting felids, canids, cervids, rodents and mustelids. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is universally accepted to occur via contact with contaminated secretions from the respiratory epithelium, either directly or indirectly. Transmission via droplet nuclei, generated from a cough or sneeze, has also been reported in several human and experimental animal scenarios. However, the role of droplet transmission at the human-animal interface remains to be fully elucidated. Here, the ferret infection model was used to investigate the routes of infection for the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant (B.1.351). Ferrets were exposed to droplets containing infectious SARS-CoV-2, ranging between 4 and 106 µm in diameter, simulating larger droplets produced by a cough from an infected person. Following exposure, viral RNA was detected on the fur of ferrets, and was deposited onto environmental surfaces, as well as the fur of ferrets placed in direct contact; SARS-CoV-2 remained infectious on the fur for at least 48 h. Low levels of viral RNA were detected in the nasal washes early post-exposure, yet none of the directly exposed, or direct-contact ferrets, became robustly infected or seroconverted to SARS-CoV-2. In comparison, ferrets intranasally inoculated with the SARS-CoV-2 beta variant became robustly infected, shedding viral RNA and infectious virus from the nasal cavity, with transmission to 75 % of naive ferrets placed in direct contact. These data suggest that larger infectious droplet nuclei and contaminated fur play minor roles in SARS-CoV-2 transmission among mustelids and potentially other companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe James
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Alexander M P Byrne
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Hooman Goharriz
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Megan Golding
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Joan M A Cuesta
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Benjamin C Mollett
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Rebecca Shipley
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Lorraine M McElhinney
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Sharon M Brookes
- Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
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27
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Wernike K, Drewes S, Mehl C, Hesse C, Imholt C, Jacob J, Ulrich RG, Beer M. No Evidence for the Presence of SARS-CoV-2 in Bank Voles and Other Rodents in Germany, 2020–2022. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11101112. [PMID: 36297169 PMCID: PMC9610409 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11101112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodentia is the most speciose mammalian order, found across the globe, with some species occurring in close proximity to humans. Furthermore, rodents are known hosts for a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Among other animal species, rodents came into focus when the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread through human populations across the globe, initially as laboratory animals to study the viral pathogenesis and to test countermeasures. Under experimental conditions, some rodent species including several cricetid species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and a few of them can transmit the virus to conspecifics. To investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 is also spreading in wild rodent populations in Germany, we serologically tested samples of free-ranging bank voles (Myodes glareolus, n = 694), common voles (Microtus arvalis, n = 2), house mice (Mus musculus, n = 27), brown or Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus, n = 97) and Apodemus species (n = 8) for antibodies against the virus. The samples were collected from 2020 to 2022 in seven German federal states. All but one sample tested negative by a multispecies ELISA based on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. The remaining sample, from a common vole collected in 2021, was within the inconclusive range of the RBD-ELISA, but this result could not be confirmed by a surrogate virus neutralization test as the sample gave a negative result in this test. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 has not become highly prevalent in wild rodent populations in Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Wernike
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Stephan Drewes
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Calvin Mehl
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christin Hesse
- Rodent Research, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Rodent Research, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Rodent Research, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Rainer G. Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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28
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Fernández‐Bastit L, Marfil S, Pradenas E, Valle R, Roca N, Rodon J, Pailler‐García L, Trinité B, Parera M, Noguera‐Julian M, Martorell J, Izquierdo‐Useros N, Carrillo J, Clotet B, Blanco J, Vergara‐Alert J, Segalés J. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and humoral responses against different variants of concern in domestic pet animals and stray cats from North-Eastern Spain. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:3518-3529. [PMID: 36167932 PMCID: PMC9538463 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in humans, is able to infect several domestic, captive and wildlife animal species. Since reverse zoonotic transmission to pets has been demonstrated, it is crucial to determine their role in the epidemiology of the disease to prevent further spillover events and major spread of SARS-CoV-2. In the present study, we determined the presence of virus and the seroprevalence to SARS-CoV-2, as well as the levels of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against several variants of concern (VOCs) in pets (cats, dogs and ferrets) and stray cats from North-Eastern of Spain. We confirmed that cats and dogs can be infected by different VOCs of SARS-CoV-2 and, together with ferrets, are able to develop nAbs against the ancestral (B.1), Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.315), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (BA.1) variants, with lower titres against the latest in dogs and cats, but not in ferrets. Although the prevalence of active SARS-CoV-2 infection measured as direct viral RNA detection was low (0.3%), presence of nAbs in pets living in COVID-19-positive households was relatively high (close to 25% in cats, 10% in dogs and 40% in ferrets). It is essential to continue monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections in these animals due to their frequent contact with human populations, and we cannot discard the probability of a higher animal susceptibility to new potential SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leira Fernández‐Bastit
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | | | | | - Rosa Valle
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | - Núria Roca
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | - Jordi Rodon
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | - Lola Pailler‐García
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | | | - Mariona Parera
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Vic‐Central University of Catalonia (UVic‐UCC)Barcelona08500Spain
| | - Marc Noguera‐Julian
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Vic‐Central University of Catalonia (UVic‐UCC)Barcelona08500Spain,Infectious Disease Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBERINFEC)Carlos III Health InstituteMadridSpain
| | - Jaume Martorell
- Departament de Medicina i Cirugia AnimalsUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)Spain
| | - Nuria Izquierdo‐Useros
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Disease Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBERINFEC)Carlos III Health InstituteMadridSpain,Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)Can Ruti CampusBadalona08916Spain
| | - Jorge Carrillo
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Disease Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBERINFEC)Carlos III Health InstituteMadridSpain,Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)Can Ruti CampusBadalona08916Spain
| | - Bonaventura Clotet
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Vic‐Central University of Catalonia (UVic‐UCC)Barcelona08500Spain,Lluita contra la SIDA FoundationHospital Universitari Germans Trias i PujolBadalona08916Spain
| | - Julià Blanco
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research InstituteBadalona08916Spain,Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Vic‐Central University of Catalonia (UVic‐UCC)Barcelona08500Spain,Infectious Disease Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBERINFEC)Carlos III Health InstituteMadridSpain,Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)Can Ruti CampusBadalona08916Spain
| | - Júlia Vergara‐Alert
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,IRTA. Programa de Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain
| | - Joaquim Segalés
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA‐UAB en Sanitat Animal. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA)Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)BellaterraCatalonia08193Spain,Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de VeterinàriaUniversitat Autònoma de BarcelonaCerdanyola del Vallès08193Spain
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29
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Susceptibility of Domestic Goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus) to Experimental Infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.351/Beta Variant. Viruses 2022; 14:v14092002. [PMID: 36146808 PMCID: PMC9503527 DOI: 10.3390/v14092002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide range of animal species are susceptible to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Natural and/or experimental infections have been reported in pet, zoo, farmed and wild animals. Interestingly, some SARS-CoV-2 variants, such as B.1.1.7/Alpha, B.1.351/Beta, and B.1.1.529/Omicron, were demonstrated to infect some animal species not susceptible to classical viral variants. The present study aimed to elucidate if goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) are susceptible to the B.1.351/Beta variant. First, an in silico approach was used to predict the affinity between the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351/Beta variant and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 from goats. Moreover, we performed an experimental inoculation with this variant in domestic goat and showed evidence of infection. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in nasal swabs and tissues by RT-qPCR and/or immunohistochemistry, and seroneutralisation was confirmed via ELISA and live virus neutralisation assays. However, the viral amount and tissue distribution suggest a low susceptibility of goats to the B.1.351/Beta variant. Therefore, although monitoring livestock is advisable, it is unlikely that goats play a role as SARS-CoV-2 reservoir species, and they are not useful surrogates to study SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed animals.
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30
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Martins M, do Nascimento GM, Nooruzzaman M, Yuan F, Chen C, Caserta LC, Miller AD, Whittaker GR, Fang Y, Diel DG. The Omicron variant BA.1.1 presents a lower pathogenicity than B.1 D614G and Delta variants in a feline model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022. [PMID: 35734088 PMCID: PMC9216722 DOI: 10.1101/2022.06.15.496220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Omicron (B.1.1.529) is the most recent SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC), which emerged in late 2021 and rapidly achieved global predominance in early 2022. In this study, we compared the infection dynamics, tissue tropism and pathogenesis and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 D614G (B.1), Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron BA.1.1 sublineage (B.1.1.529) variants in a highly susceptible feline model of infection. While D614G- and Delta-inoculated cats became lethargic, and showed increased body temperatures between days 1 and 3 post-infection (pi), Omicron-inoculated cats remained subclinical and, similar to control animals, gained weight throughout the 14-day experimental period. Intranasal inoculation of cats with D614G- and the Delta variants resulted in high infectious virus shedding in nasal secretions (up to 6.3 log10 TCID 50 .ml -1 ), whereas strikingly lower level of viruses shedding (<3.1 log10 TCID 50 .ml -1 ) was observed in Omicron-inoculated animals. In addition, tissue distribution of the Omicron variant was markedly reduced in comparison to the D614G and Delta variants, as evidenced by in situ viral RNA detection, in situ immunofluorescence, and quantification of viral loads in tissues on days 3, 5, and 14 pi. Nasal turbinate, trachea, and lung were the main - but not the only - sites of replication for all three viral variants. However, only scarce virus staining and lower viral titers suggest lower levels of viral replication in tissues from Omicron-infected animals. Notably, while D614G- and Delta-inoculated cats had severe pneumonia, histologic examination of the lungs from Omicron-infected cats revealed mild to modest inflammation. Together, these results demonstrate that the Omicron variant BA.1.1 is less pathogenic than D614G and Delta variants in a highly susceptible feline model. Author Summary The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern (VOC) emerged in South Africa late in 2021 and rapidly spread across the world causing a significant increase in the number of infections. Importantly, this variant was also associated with an increased risk of reinfections. However, the number of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 did not follow the same trends. These early observations, suggested effective protection conferred by immunizations and/or overall lower virulence of the highly mutated variant virus. In this study we present novel evidence demonstrating that the Omicron BA.1.1 variant of concern (VOC) presents a lower pathogenicity when compared to D614G- or Delta variants in cats. Clinical, virological and pathological evaluations revealed lower disease severity, viral replication and lung pathology in Omicron-infected cats when compared to D614G and Delta variant inoculated animals, confirming that Omicron BA.1.1 is less pathogenic in a highly susceptible feline model of infection.
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