The development of a tractable small animal model faithfully reproducing human coronavirus disease 2019 pathogenesis would arguably meet a pressing need in biomedical research. Thus far, most investigators have used transgenic mice expressing the human ACE2 in epithelial cells (K18-hACE2 transgenic mice) that are intranasally instilled with a liquid severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suspension under deep anesthesia. Unfortunately, this experimental approach results in disproportionate high central nervous system infection leading to fatal encephalitis, which is rarely observed in humans and severely limits this model's usefulness. Here, we describe the use of an inhalation tower system that allows exposure of unanesthetized mice to aerosolized virus under controlled conditions. Aerosol exposure of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice to SARS-CoV-2 resulted in robust viral replication in the respiratory tract, anosmia, and airway obstruction but did not lead to fatal viral neuroinvasion. When compared with intranasal inoculation, aerosol infection resulted in a more pronounced lung pathology including increased immune infiltration, fibrin deposition, and a transcriptional signature comparable to that observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. This model may prove useful for studies of viral transmission, disease pathogenesis (including long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection), and therapeutic interventions.

Administration of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 to K18-hACE2 mice uncouples respiratory infection from fatal neuroinvasion / Fumagalli, Valeria; Ravà, Micol; Marotta, Davide; Di Lucia, Pietro; Laura, Chiara; Sala, Eleonora; Grillo, Marta; Bono, Elisa; Giustini, Leonardo; Perucchini, Chiara; Mainetti, Marta; Sessa, Alessandro; Garcia-Manteiga, José M; Donnici, Lorena; Manganaro, Lara; Delbue, Serena; Broccoli, Vania; De Francesco, Raffaele; D'Adamo, Patrizia; Kuka, Mirela; Guidotti, Luca G; Iannacone, Matteo. - In: SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 2470-9468. - 7:67(2022). [10.1126/sciimmunol.abl9929]

Administration of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 to K18-hACE2 mice uncouples respiratory infection from fatal neuroinvasion

Fumagalli, Valeria
Co-primo
;
Marotta, Davide
Co-primo
;
Laura, Chiara;Sala, Eleonora;Grillo, Marta;Perucchini, Chiara;D'Adamo, Patrizia;Kuka, Mirela;Guidotti, Luca G
Penultimo
;
Iannacone, Matteo
Ultimo
2022-01-01

Abstract

The development of a tractable small animal model faithfully reproducing human coronavirus disease 2019 pathogenesis would arguably meet a pressing need in biomedical research. Thus far, most investigators have used transgenic mice expressing the human ACE2 in epithelial cells (K18-hACE2 transgenic mice) that are intranasally instilled with a liquid severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) suspension under deep anesthesia. Unfortunately, this experimental approach results in disproportionate high central nervous system infection leading to fatal encephalitis, which is rarely observed in humans and severely limits this model's usefulness. Here, we describe the use of an inhalation tower system that allows exposure of unanesthetized mice to aerosolized virus under controlled conditions. Aerosol exposure of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice to SARS-CoV-2 resulted in robust viral replication in the respiratory tract, anosmia, and airway obstruction but did not lead to fatal viral neuroinvasion. When compared with intranasal inoculation, aerosol infection resulted in a more pronounced lung pathology including increased immune infiltration, fibrin deposition, and a transcriptional signature comparable to that observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. This model may prove useful for studies of viral transmission, disease pathogenesis (including long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection), and therapeutic interventions.
2022
Administration, Inhalation
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
Animals
COVID-19
Encephalitis, Viral
Epithelial Cells
Female
Humans
Keratin-18
Lung
Male
Mice
Mice, Transgenic
Promoter Regions, Genetic
SARS-CoV-2
Transcriptome
Virus Replication
Disease Models, Animal
Nasal Sprays
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11768/122618
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