1
|
Rossi L, Santos KBS, Mota BIS, Pimenta J, Oliveira B, Machado CA, Fernandes HB, Barbosa LA, Rodrigues HA, Teixeira GHM, Gomes-Martins GA, Chaimowicz GF, Queiroz-Junior CM, Chaves I, Tapia JC, Teixeira MM, Costa VV, Miranda AS, Guatimosim C. Neuromuscular defects after infection with a beta coronavirus in mice. Neurochem Int 2023; 169:105567. [PMID: 37348761 PMCID: PMC10281698 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 affects primarily the lung. However, several other systemic alterations, including muscle weakness, fatigue and myalgia have been reported and may contribute to the disease outcome. We hypothesize that changes in the neuromuscular system may contribute to the latter symptoms observed in COVID-19 patients. Here, we showed that C57BL/6J mice inoculated intranasally with the murine betacoronavirus hepatitis coronavirus 3 (MHV-3), a model for studying COVID-19 in BSL-2 conditions that emulates severe COVID-19, developed robust motor alterations in muscle strength and locomotor activity. The latter changes were accompanied by degeneration and loss of motoneurons that were associated with the presence of virus-like particles inside the motoneuron. At the neuromuscular junction level, there were signs of atrophy and fragmentation in synaptic elements of MHV-3-infected mice. Furthermore, there was muscle atrophy and fiber type switch with alteration in myokines levels in muscles of MHV-3-infected mice. Collectively, our results show that acute infection with a betacoronavirus leads to robust motor impairment accompanied by neuromuscular system alteration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Rossi
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Kivia B S Santos
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Barbara I S Mota
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jordane Pimenta
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Bruna Oliveira
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Caroline A Machado
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Heliana B Fernandes
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Leticia A Barbosa
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Hermann A Rodrigues
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Vida, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriel H M Teixeira
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriel A Gomes-Martins
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Gabriel F Chaimowicz
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Celso Martins Queiroz-Junior
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ian Chaves
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Juan C Tapia
- School of Medicine, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Mauro M Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vivian V Costa
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Aline S Miranda
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Cristina Guatimosim
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|