Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Causes Multiple Organ Damage and Lethal Disease in Mice Transgenic for Human Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4.

ABSTRACT: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes life-threatening disease. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) is the receptor for cell binding and entry. There is a need for small-animal models of MERS, but mice are not susceptible to MERS because murine dpp4 does not serve as a receptor. We developed transgenic mice expressing human DPP4 (hDPP4) under the control of the surfactant protein C promoter or cytokeratin 18 promoter that are susceptible to infection with MERS-CoV. Notably, mice expressing hDPP4 with the cytokeratin 18 promoter developed progressive, uniformly fatal disease following intranasal inoculation. High virus titers were present in lung and brain tissues 2 and 6 days after infection, respectively. MERS-CoV-infected lungs revealed mononuclear cell infiltration, a

SUBMITTER: Li K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4747621 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature