SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variants Show Attenuated Neurovirulence Compared with the Wild-Type Strain in Elderly Human Brain Spheroids.

ABSTRACT: Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variants still causes neurological complications in elderly individuals. However, whether and how aging brains are affected by Omicron variants in terms of neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence are unknown. Here, we utilize resected paracarcinoma brain tissue from elderly individuals to generate primary brain spheroids (BSs) for investigating the replication capability of live wild-type (WT) strain and Omicron (BA.1/BA.2), as well as the mechanisms underlying their neurobiological effects. We find that both WT and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 are able to enter BSs but weakly replicate. There is no difference between Omicron BA.1/BA.2 and WT strains in neurotropism in aging BSs. However, Omicron BA.1/BA.2 exhibits ameliorating neuro

SUBMITTER: Chen W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11089278 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature