Work

SARS-CoV-2 Rapidly Adapts in Aged BALB/c Mice and Induces Typical Pneumonia

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Aged BALB/c model are in use as a model of disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Our research demonstrated SARS-CoV-2 can rapidly adapt in aged BALB/c mice through causing mutations at the RBD of the S protein. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2-infected aged BALB/c mice indicated that alveolar damage, interstitial pneumonia, and inflammatory immune responses were similar to the clinical manifestations of human infections. Therefore, our aged BALB/c challenge model will be useful for further understanding the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and for testing vaccines and antiviral agents.

Source: Journal of Virology

DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02477-20