Title: A SARS-CoV-2 Infection Model in Mice Demonstrates Protection by Neutralizing Antibodies.

Authors: Hassan, Ahmed O; Case, James Brett; Winkler, Emma S; Thackray, Larissa B; Kafai, Natasha M; Bailey, Adam L; McCune, Broc T; Fox, Julie M; Chen, Rita E; Alsoussi, Wafaa B; Turner, Jackson S; Schmitz, Aaron J; Lei, Tingting; Shrihari, Swathi; Keeler, Shamus P; Fremont, Daved H; Greco, Suellen; McCray Jr, Paul B; Perlman, Stanley; Holtzman, Michael J; Ellebedy, Ali H; Diamond, Michael S

Published In Cell, (2020 Aug 06)

Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic with millions of human infections. One limitation to the evaluation of potential therapies and vaccines to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection and ameliorate disease is the lack of susceptible small animals in large numbers. Commercially available laboratory strains of mice are not readily infected by SARS-CoV-2 because of species-specific differences in their angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. Here, we transduced replication-defective adenoviruses encoding human ACE2 via intranasal administration into BALB/c mice and established receptor expression in lung tissues. hACE2-transduced mice were productively infected with SARS-CoV-2, and this resulted in high viral titers in the lung, lung pathology, and weight loss. Passive transfer of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody reduced viral burden in the lung and mitigated inflammation and weight loss. The development of an accessible mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis will expedite the testing and deployment of therapeutics and vaccines.

PubMed ID: 32553273

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication