Generation and Characterization of a SARS-CoV-2-Susceptible Mouse Model Using Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV6.2FF)-Mediated Respiratory Delivery of the Human ACE2 Gene

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the aetiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has caused a pandemic with millions of human infections. There continues to be a pressing need to develop potential therapies and vaccines to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection to mitigate the ongoing pandemic. Epidemiological data from the current pandemic indicates that there may be sex-dependent differences in disease outcomes. To investigate these differences, we proposed to use common small animal species that are frequently used to model disease with viruses. However, common laboratory strains of mice are not readily infected by SARS-CoV-2 because of differences in the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the cellular receptor for the virus. To overcome this limitation, we transduced common laboratory accessible strains of mice of different sexes and age groups with a novel a triple AAV6 mutant, termed AAV6.2FF, encoding either human ACE2 or luciferase via intranasal administration to promote expression in the lung and nasal turbinates. Infection of AAV-hACE2-transduced mice with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in high viral titers in the lungs and nasal turbinates, establishment of an IgM and IgG antibody response, and modulation of lung and nasal turbinate cytokine profiles. There were insignificant differences in infection characteristics between age groups and sex-related differences; however, there were significant strain-related differences between BALB/c vs. C57BL/6 mice. We show that AAV-hACE2-transduced mice are a useful for determining immune responses and for potential evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and antiviral therapies, and this study serves as a model for the utility of this approach to rapidly develop small-animal models for emerging viruses.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:15

Enthalten in:

Viruses - 15(2022), 1 vom: 28. Dez.

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Tailor, Nikesh [VerfasserIn]
Warner, Bryce M [VerfasserIn]
Griffin, Bryan D [VerfasserIn]
Tierney, Kevin [VerfasserIn]
Moffat, Estella [VerfasserIn]
Frost, Kathy [VerfasserIn]
Vendramelli, Robert [VerfasserIn]
Leung, Anders [VerfasserIn]
Willman, Marnie [VerfasserIn]
Thomas, Sylvia P [VerfasserIn]
Pei, Yanlong [VerfasserIn]
Booth, Stephanie A [VerfasserIn]
Embury-Hyatt, Carissa [VerfasserIn]
Wootton, Sarah K [VerfasserIn]
Kobasa, Darwyn [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

ACE2 protein, human
Adeno-associated virus
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)
Animal model
COVID-19
COVID-19 Vaccines
EC 3.4.17.23
Host specificity
Infection
Journal Article
Mouse model
Pandemic
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
SARS-CoV-2
Species specificity
Virology

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 26.01.2023

Date Revised 16.11.2023

published: Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.3390/v15010085

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM351908420