Evaluation of K18-hACE2mice as a model of SARS-CoV-2 infection

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.26.171033
• Publication Date: 2020-06-27T05:14:55Z
• Authors: G. Brett Moreau; Stacey L. Burgess; Jeffrey M. Sturek; Alexandra N. Donlan; William A. Petri; Barbara J. Mann
• Keywords: Infiltration (HVAC); Histology

Abstract/Summary Murine models of SARS-CoV-2 infection are critical for elucidating the biological pathways underlying COVID-19 disease. Because human ACE2 is receptor SARS-CoV-2, mice expressing gene have shown promise as a potential model COVID-19. Five from transgenic mouse strain K18- hACE2 were intranasally inoculated with Hong Kong/VM20001061/2020. Mice followed twice daily five days and scored weight loss clinical symptoms. Infected did not exhibit any signs until day four, when loss, but no other obvious symptoms observed. By all infected had lost around 10% their original body weight, exhibited variable All showed high viral titers in lungs well altered lung histology associated proteinaceous debris alveolar space, interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration septal thickening. Overall, these results show that symptomatic can be established background should useful