The current COVID-19 pandemic urges the extremely sensitive and prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Here,we present a Human Angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2(ACE2)-functionalized gold“virus traps”nanostructure as an ...The current COVID-19 pandemic urges the extremely sensitive and prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Here,we present a Human Angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2(ACE2)-functionalized gold“virus traps”nanostructure as an extremely sensitive SERS biosensor,to selectively capture and rapidly detect S-protein expressed coronavirus,such as the current SARS-CoV-2 in the contaminated water,down to the single-virus level.Such a SERS sensor features extraordinary 106-fold virus enrichment originating from high-affinity of ACE2 with S protein as well as“virus-traps”composed of oblique gold nanoneedles,and 109-fold enhancement of Raman signals originating from multi-component SERS effects.Furthermore,the identification standard of virus signals is established by machine-learning and identification techniques,resulting in an especially low detection limit of 80 copies mL^(−1) for the simulated contaminated water by SARS-CoV-2 virus with complex circumstance as short as 5 min,which is of great significance for achieving real-time monitoring and early warning of coronavirus.Moreover,here-developed method can be used to establish the identification standard for future unknown coronavirus,and immediately enable extremely sensitive and rapid detection of novel virus.展开更多
Understanding the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and clarifying antiviral immunity in hosts are critical aspects for the development of vaccines and antivirals.Mice are freq...Understanding the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and clarifying antiviral immunity in hosts are critical aspects for the development of vaccines and antivirals.Mice are frequently used to generate animal models of infectious diseases due to their convenience and ability to undergo genetic manipulation.However,normal adult mice are not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.Here,we developed a viral receptor(human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,hACE2)pulmonary transfection mouse model to establish SARS-CoV-2 infection rapidly in the mouse lung.Based on the model,the virus successfully infected the mouse lung 2 days after transfection.Viral RNA/protein,innate immune cell infiltration,inflammatory cytokine expression,and pathological changes in the infected lungs were observed after infection.Further studies indicated that neutrophils were the first and most abundant leukocytes to infiltrate the infected lungs after viral infection.In addition,using infected CXCL5-knockout mice,chemokine CXCL5 was responsible for neutrophil recruitment.CXCL5 knockout decreased lung inflammation without diminishing viral clearance,suggesting a potential target for controlling pneumonia.展开更多
Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2), has spread rapidly worldwide with high rates of transmission and substantial mortality. To date, how...Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2), has spread rapidly worldwide with high rates of transmission and substantial mortality. To date, however, no effective treatments or enough vaccines for COVID-19 are available. The roles of angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2) and spike protein in the treatment of COVID-19 are major areas of research. In this study, we explored the potential of ACE2 and spike protein as targets for the development of antiviral agents against SARS-Co V-2. We analyzed clinical data, genetic data, and receptor binding capability.Clinical data revealed that COVID-19 patients with comorbidities related to an abnormal reninangiotensin system exhibited more early symptoms and poorer prognoses. However, the relationship between ACE2 expression and COVID-19progression is still not clear. Furthermore, if ACE2 is not a good targetable protein, it would not be applicable across a wide range of populations. The spike-S1 receptor-binding domain that interacts with ACE2 showed various amino acid mutations based on sequence analysis. We identified two spike-S1 point mutations(V354 F and V470 A) by receptorligand docking and binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. These variants enhanced the binding of the spike protein to ACE2 receptors and were potentially associated with increased infectivity. Importantly, the number of patients infected with the V354 F and V470 A mutants has increased with the development of the SARS-Co V-2 pandemic. These results suggest that ACE2 and spike-S1 are likely not ideal targets for the design of peptide drugs to treat COVID-19 in different populations.展开更多
The recent COVID-19 pandemic poses a global health emergency.Cellular entry of the causative agent SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by its spike protein interacting with cellular receptor-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2(A...The recent COVID-19 pandemic poses a global health emergency.Cellular entry of the causative agent SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by its spike protein interacting with cellular receptor-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2).Here,by using lentivirus based pseudotypes bearing spike protein,we demonstrated that entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells was dependent on clathrin-mediated endocytosis,and phosphoinositides played essential roles during this process.In addition,we showed that the intracellular domain and the catalytic activity of ACE2 were not required for efficient virus entry.Finally,we showed that the current predominant Delta variant,although with high infectivity and high syncytium formation,also entered cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis.These results provide new insights into SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry and present proof of principle that targeting viral entry could be an effective way to treat different variant infections.展开更多
Virtual screening is a computational technique widely used for identifying small molecules which are most likely to bind to a protein target. In the present work, a molecular docking study is carried out to propose po...Virtual screening is a computational technique widely used for identifying small molecules which are most likely to bind to a protein target. In the present work, a molecular docking study is carried out to propose potential candidates for preventing the RBD/ACE2 attachment. These candidates are sixteen different flavonoids present in the peppermint leaf. Results showed that Luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside is the peppermint flavonoid with a higher binding affinity regarding the RBD/ACE2 complex (about -9.18 Kcal/mol). On the other hand, Sakuranetin presented the lowest affinity (about -6.38 Kcal/mol). Binding affinities of the other peppermint flavonoids ranged from -6.44 Kcal/mol up to -9.05 Kcal/mol. The binding site surface analysis showed pocket-like regions on the RBD/ACE2 complex that yield several interactions (mostly hydrogen bonds) between the flavonoid and the amino acid residues of the proteins. This study can open channels for the understanding of the roles of flavonoids against COVID-19 infection.展开更多
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)has precipitated multiple variants resistant to therapeutic antibodies.In this study,12 high-affinity antibodies were generated from convalescent donors in e...Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)has precipitated multiple variants resistant to therapeutic antibodies.In this study,12 high-affinity antibodies were generated from convalescent donors in early outbreaks using immune antibody phage display libraries.Of them,two RBD-binding antibodies(F61 and H121)showed high-affinity neutralization against SARS-Co V-2,whereas three S2-target antibodies failed to neutralize SARS-Co V-2.Following structure analysis,F61 identified a linear epitope located in residues G446–S494,which overlapped with angiotensinconverting enzyme 2(ACE2)binding sites,while H121 recognized a conformational epitope located on the side face of RBD,outside from ACE2 binding domain.Hence the cocktail of the two antibodies achieved better performance of neutralization to SARS-Co V-2.Importantly,these two antibodies also showed efficient neutralizing activities to the variants including B.1.1.7 and B.1.351,and reacted with mutations of N501 Y,E484 K,and L452 R,indicated that it may also neutralize the recent India endemic strain B.1.617.The unchanged binding activity of F61 and H121 to RBD with multiple mutations revealed a broad neutralizing activity against variants,which mitigated the risk of viral escape.Our findings revealed the therapeutic basis of cocktail antibodies against constantly emerging SARS-Co V-2 variants and provided promising candidate antibodies to clinical treatment of COVID-19 patients infected with broad SARS-Co V-2 variants.展开更多
Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodie...Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodies.This highlights a critical need to discover new therapeutic agents to overcome the variants mutations.Despite the availability of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies has been considered as an alternative way for the prevention or treatment of SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.Here,we show that the nasal delivery of two previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies(F61 and H121)protected K18-h ACE2 mice against lethal challenge with SARS-Co V-2 variants.The broadly protective efficacy of the F61 or F61/F121 cocktail antibodies was evaluated by lethal challenge with the wild strain(WIV04)and multiple variants,including beta(B.1.351),delta(B.1.617.2),and omicron(B.1.1.529)at 200or 1000 TCID_(50),and the minimum antibody administration doses(5-1.25 mg/kg body weight)were also evaluated with delta and omicron challenge.Fully prophylactic protections were found in all challenged groups with both F61 and F61/H121 combination at the administration dose of 20 mg/kg body weight,and corresponding mice lung viral RNA showed negative,with almost all alveolar septa and cavities remaining normal.Furthermore,low-dose antibody treatment induced significant prophylactic protection against lethal challenge with delta and omicron variants,whereas the F61/H121 combination showed excellent results against omicron infection.Our findings indicated the potential use of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as prophylactic and therapeutic agent for protection of current emerged SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.展开更多
The most recent outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus,named as COVID-19,caused pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan with 2121 deaths cases as of February 20th 2020.Identification of effective antiviral agents to combat the novel ...The most recent outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus,named as COVID-19,caused pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan with 2121 deaths cases as of February 20th 2020.Identification of effective antiviral agents to combat the novel coronavirus is urgently needed.Citrus fruit peel or wild citrus are rich in flavonoids,and clinically documented for roles in relief of cough and promotion of digestive health.Therefore,citrus fruits are assumed to possess antivirus activities or enhance the host immunity.A previous study found that hesperetin could act as a high potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV 3CLpro.We determined six flavonoid compounds’content in three citrus species by using LC-MS technique.The content of naringin and naringenin was at higher levels in pummelo.Hesperetin and hesperidin were highly accumulated in mandarin and sweet orange.The subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that naringin could inhibit the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines(COX-2,iNOS,IL-1βand IL-6)induced by LPS in Raw macrophage cell line,and may restrain cytokine through inhibiting HMGB1 expression in a mouse model.The results revealed that naringin may have a potential application for preventing cytokine storm.We simulated molecular docking to predict the binding affinity of those flavonoids to bind Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE 2),which is a receptor of the coronavirus.Consideration of the potential anti-coronavirus and anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids,the citrus fruit or its derived phytochemicals are promising in the use of prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.展开更多
The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) in recent years not only caused a global pandemic but resulted in enormous social,economic,and health burdens worldwide.Despite considera...The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) in recent years not only caused a global pandemic but resulted in enormous social,economic,and health burdens worldwide.Despite considerable efforts to combat coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),various SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged,and their underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity remain largely unknown.Furthermore,effective therapeutic drugs are still under development.Thus,an ideal animal model is crucial for studying the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and for the preclinical evaluation of vaccines and antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and variant infections.Currently,several animal models,including mice,hamsters,ferrets,and nonhuman primates(NHPs),have been established to study COVID-19.Among them,ferrets are naturally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and are considered suitable for COVID-19 study.Here,we summarize recent developments and application of SARS-CoV-2 ferret models in studies on pathogenesis,therapeutic agents,and vaccines,and provide a perspective on the role of these models in preventing COVID-19 spread.展开更多
Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2),has affected more than 600 million people worldwide.Several organs including lung,intestine,and brain are infecte...Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2),has affected more than 600 million people worldwide.Several organs including lung,intestine,and brain are infected by SARS-CoV-2.It has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2(ACE2)is expressed in human testis.However,whether testis is also affected by SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear.In this study,we generate a human ACE2(hACE2)transgenic mouse model in which the expression of hACE2 gene is regulated by hACE2 promoter.Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in vitro,and severe pathological changes are observed after injecting the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus into the seminiferous tubules.Further studies reveal that Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice are also infected by authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.After testis interstitium injection,authentic SARS-CoV-2 viruses are first disseminated to the interstitial cells,and then detected inside the seminiferous tubules which in turn cause germ cell loss and disruption of seminiferous tubules.Our study demonstrates that testis is most likely a target of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Attention should be paid to the reproductive function in SARS-CoV-2 patients.展开更多
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51471182)this work is also supported by Shanghai international science and Technology Cooperation Fund(No.17520711700)the National Key Research and Development Project(No.2017YFB0310600).
文摘The current COVID-19 pandemic urges the extremely sensitive and prompt detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Here,we present a Human Angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2(ACE2)-functionalized gold“virus traps”nanostructure as an extremely sensitive SERS biosensor,to selectively capture and rapidly detect S-protein expressed coronavirus,such as the current SARS-CoV-2 in the contaminated water,down to the single-virus level.Such a SERS sensor features extraordinary 106-fold virus enrichment originating from high-affinity of ACE2 with S protein as well as“virus-traps”composed of oblique gold nanoneedles,and 109-fold enhancement of Raman signals originating from multi-component SERS effects.Furthermore,the identification standard of virus signals is established by machine-learning and identification techniques,resulting in an especially low detection limit of 80 copies mL^(−1) for the simulated contaminated water by SARS-CoV-2 virus with complex circumstance as short as 5 min,which is of great significance for achieving real-time monitoring and early warning of coronavirus.Moreover,here-developed method can be used to establish the identification standard for future unknown coronavirus,and immediately enable extremely sensitive and rapid detection of novel virus.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82041017)Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(CAMS)Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(2016-I2M-1-014)。
文摘Understanding the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and clarifying antiviral immunity in hosts are critical aspects for the development of vaccines and antivirals.Mice are frequently used to generate animal models of infectious diseases due to their convenience and ability to undergo genetic manipulation.However,normal adult mice are not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.Here,we developed a viral receptor(human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,hACE2)pulmonary transfection mouse model to establish SARS-CoV-2 infection rapidly in the mouse lung.Based on the model,the virus successfully infected the mouse lung 2 days after transfection.Viral RNA/protein,innate immune cell infiltration,inflammatory cytokine expression,and pathological changes in the infected lungs were observed after infection.Further studies indicated that neutrophils were the first and most abundant leukocytes to infiltrate the infected lungs after viral infection.In addition,using infected CXCL5-knockout mice,chemokine CXCL5 was responsible for neutrophil recruitment.CXCL5 knockout decreased lung inflammation without diminishing viral clearance,suggesting a potential target for controlling pneumonia.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFD0900602)National Natural Science Foundation of China (31970388, 31701234)+3 种基金Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD)Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (17KJB180006)Natural Science Foundation from Jiangsu Province (BK20160043, BK20151546, 15KJA180004and BK20171035)Jiangsu Distinguished Professor Funding。
文摘Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2), has spread rapidly worldwide with high rates of transmission and substantial mortality. To date, however, no effective treatments or enough vaccines for COVID-19 are available. The roles of angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2) and spike protein in the treatment of COVID-19 are major areas of research. In this study, we explored the potential of ACE2 and spike protein as targets for the development of antiviral agents against SARS-Co V-2. We analyzed clinical data, genetic data, and receptor binding capability.Clinical data revealed that COVID-19 patients with comorbidities related to an abnormal reninangiotensin system exhibited more early symptoms and poorer prognoses. However, the relationship between ACE2 expression and COVID-19progression is still not clear. Furthermore, if ACE2 is not a good targetable protein, it would not be applicable across a wide range of populations. The spike-S1 receptor-binding domain that interacts with ACE2 showed various amino acid mutations based on sequence analysis. We identified two spike-S1 point mutations(V354 F and V470 A) by receptorligand docking and binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. These variants enhanced the binding of the spike protein to ACE2 receptors and were potentially associated with increased infectivity. Importantly, the number of patients infected with the V354 F and V470 A mutants has increased with the development of the SARS-Co V-2 pandemic. These results suggest that ACE2 and spike-S1 are likely not ideal targets for the design of peptide drugs to treat COVID-19 in different populations.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81871662,82150201)Xi’an Jiaotong University Fund(xzy012019066 and xzy032020037)Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center-Qinnong Bank Fund(QNXJTU-04&QNXJTU-07)。
文摘The recent COVID-19 pandemic poses a global health emergency.Cellular entry of the causative agent SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by its spike protein interacting with cellular receptor-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2(ACE2).Here,by using lentivirus based pseudotypes bearing spike protein,we demonstrated that entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells was dependent on clathrin-mediated endocytosis,and phosphoinositides played essential roles during this process.In addition,we showed that the intracellular domain and the catalytic activity of ACE2 were not required for efficient virus entry.Finally,we showed that the current predominant Delta variant,although with high infectivity and high syncytium formation,also entered cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis.These results provide new insights into SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry and present proof of principle that targeting viral entry could be an effective way to treat different variant infections.
文摘Virtual screening is a computational technique widely used for identifying small molecules which are most likely to bind to a protein target. In the present work, a molecular docking study is carried out to propose potential candidates for preventing the RBD/ACE2 attachment. These candidates are sixteen different flavonoids present in the peppermint leaf. Results showed that Luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside is the peppermint flavonoid with a higher binding affinity regarding the RBD/ACE2 complex (about -9.18 Kcal/mol). On the other hand, Sakuranetin presented the lowest affinity (about -6.38 Kcal/mol). Binding affinities of the other peppermint flavonoids ranged from -6.44 Kcal/mol up to -9.05 Kcal/mol. The binding site surface analysis showed pocket-like regions on the RBD/ACE2 complex that yield several interactions (mostly hydrogen bonds) between the flavonoid and the amino acid residues of the proteins. This study can open channels for the understanding of the roles of flavonoids against COVID-19 infection.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project(2018ZX10711-001)(2017YFA0205100)。
文摘Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)has precipitated multiple variants resistant to therapeutic antibodies.In this study,12 high-affinity antibodies were generated from convalescent donors in early outbreaks using immune antibody phage display libraries.Of them,two RBD-binding antibodies(F61 and H121)showed high-affinity neutralization against SARS-Co V-2,whereas three S2-target antibodies failed to neutralize SARS-Co V-2.Following structure analysis,F61 identified a linear epitope located in residues G446–S494,which overlapped with angiotensinconverting enzyme 2(ACE2)binding sites,while H121 recognized a conformational epitope located on the side face of RBD,outside from ACE2 binding domain.Hence the cocktail of the two antibodies achieved better performance of neutralization to SARS-Co V-2.Importantly,these two antibodies also showed efficient neutralizing activities to the variants including B.1.1.7 and B.1.351,and reacted with mutations of N501 Y,E484 K,and L452 R,indicated that it may also neutralize the recent India endemic strain B.1.617.The unchanged binding activity of F61 and H121 to RBD with multiple mutations revealed a broad neutralizing activity against variants,which mitigated the risk of viral escape.Our findings revealed the therapeutic basis of cocktail antibodies against constantly emerging SARS-Co V-2 variants and provided promising candidate antibodies to clinical treatment of COVID-19 patients infected with broad SARS-Co V-2 variants.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC2600200,2017YFA0205100)。
文摘Multiple new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2)have constantly emerged,as the delta and omicron variants,which have developed resistance to currently gained neutralizing antibodies.This highlights a critical need to discover new therapeutic agents to overcome the variants mutations.Despite the availability of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies has been considered as an alternative way for the prevention or treatment of SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.Here,we show that the nasal delivery of two previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies(F61 and H121)protected K18-h ACE2 mice against lethal challenge with SARS-Co V-2 variants.The broadly protective efficacy of the F61 or F61/F121 cocktail antibodies was evaluated by lethal challenge with the wild strain(WIV04)and multiple variants,including beta(B.1.351),delta(B.1.617.2),and omicron(B.1.1.529)at 200or 1000 TCID_(50),and the minimum antibody administration doses(5-1.25 mg/kg body weight)were also evaluated with delta and omicron challenge.Fully prophylactic protections were found in all challenged groups with both F61 and F61/H121 combination at the administration dose of 20 mg/kg body weight,and corresponding mice lung viral RNA showed negative,with almost all alveolar septa and cavities remaining normal.Furthermore,low-dose antibody treatment induced significant prophylactic protection against lethal challenge with delta and omicron variants,whereas the F61/H121 combination showed excellent results against omicron infection.Our findings indicated the potential use of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies as prophylactic and therapeutic agent for protection of current emerged SARS-Co V-2 variants infection.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2018YFD1000200)Innovation Team and Talents Cultivation Program of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ZYYCXTD-D-202005)the Ability Establishment of Sustainable Use for Valuable Chinese Medicine Resources (2060302).
文摘The most recent outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus,named as COVID-19,caused pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan with 2121 deaths cases as of February 20th 2020.Identification of effective antiviral agents to combat the novel coronavirus is urgently needed.Citrus fruit peel or wild citrus are rich in flavonoids,and clinically documented for roles in relief of cough and promotion of digestive health.Therefore,citrus fruits are assumed to possess antivirus activities or enhance the host immunity.A previous study found that hesperetin could act as a high potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV 3CLpro.We determined six flavonoid compounds’content in three citrus species by using LC-MS technique.The content of naringin and naringenin was at higher levels in pummelo.Hesperetin and hesperidin were highly accumulated in mandarin and sweet orange.The subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that naringin could inhibit the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines(COX-2,iNOS,IL-1βand IL-6)induced by LPS in Raw macrophage cell line,and may restrain cytokine through inhibiting HMGB1 expression in a mouse model.The results revealed that naringin may have a potential application for preventing cytokine storm.We simulated molecular docking to predict the binding affinity of those flavonoids to bind Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE 2),which is a receptor of the coronavirus.Consideration of the potential anti-coronavirus and anti-inflammatory activity of flavonoids,the citrus fruit or its derived phytochemicals are promising in the use of prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
基金supported by the S&T Program of Hebei(20277705D and 20372601D)Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province,China (H2020206352)+2 种基金Science and Technology Project of Hebei Education Department (QN2018150)Hebei Medical Science Research Project (20220973)Chinese Medicine Research Program of Hebei Province (2021119)。
文摘The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) in recent years not only caused a global pandemic but resulted in enormous social,economic,and health burdens worldwide.Despite considerable efforts to combat coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),various SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged,and their underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity remain largely unknown.Furthermore,effective therapeutic drugs are still under development.Thus,an ideal animal model is crucial for studying the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and for the preclinical evaluation of vaccines and antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and variant infections.Currently,several animal models,including mice,hamsters,ferrets,and nonhuman primates(NHPs),have been established to study COVID-19.Among them,ferrets are naturally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and are considered suitable for COVID-19 study.Here,we summarize recent developments and application of SARS-CoV-2 ferret models in studies on pathogenesis,therapeutic agents,and vaccines,and provide a perspective on the role of these models in preventing COVID-19 spread.
基金supported by National key R&D program of China(2018YFA0107700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170855,31970785)Biological Resources Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KFJ-BRP-005).
文摘Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2),has affected more than 600 million people worldwide.Several organs including lung,intestine,and brain are infected by SARS-CoV-2.It has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2(ACE2)is expressed in human testis.However,whether testis is also affected by SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear.In this study,we generate a human ACE2(hACE2)transgenic mouse model in which the expression of hACE2 gene is regulated by hACE2 promoter.Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in vitro,and severe pathological changes are observed after injecting the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus into the seminiferous tubules.Further studies reveal that Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice are also infected by authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.After testis interstitium injection,authentic SARS-CoV-2 viruses are first disseminated to the interstitial cells,and then detected inside the seminiferous tubules which in turn cause germ cell loss and disruption of seminiferous tubules.Our study demonstrates that testis is most likely a target of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Attention should be paid to the reproductive function in SARS-CoV-2 patients.
