Dynamics of lung-infiltrating virus-specific T cells associated with age-dependent SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia severity.

ABSTRACT: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is prevalent in the elderly infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); however, the mechanisms underlying its age-dependent pathogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we established a mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 strain infected Nr4a3-Tocky mouse model to examine T-cell dynamics associated with disease severity. Nr4a3-Tocky mice allow the analysis of the dynamics and induction of antigen-reactive T cells following antigen recognition in vivo using fluorescent Timer protein. SARS-CoV-2-infected adult mice exhibited transient body weight loss and recovery, whereas aged mice developed severe pneumonia. BALF viral RNA was comparable between 1-4 days post-inoculation (d.p.i.), but declined in adults at 5 d.p.i. Aged mic

SUBMITTER: Kurokawa R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12829949 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature