Microglia Do Not Restrict SARS-CoV-2 Replication following Infection of the Central Nervous System of K18-Human ACE2 Transgenic Mice.

ABSTRACT: Unlike SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, infection with SARS-CoV-2, the viral pathogen responsible for COVID-19, is often associated with neurologic symptoms that range from mild to severe, yet increasing evidence argues the virus does not exhibit extensive neuroinvasive properties. We demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 can infect and replicate in human iPSC-derived neurons and that infection shows limited antiviral and inflammatory responses but increased activation of EIF2 signaling following infection as determined by RNA sequencing. Intranasal infection of K18 human ACE2 transgenic mice (K18-hACE2) with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in lung pathology associated with viral replication and immune cell infiltration. In addition, ∼50% of infected mice exhibited CNS infection characterized by wide-spread viral replicatio

SUBMITTER: Olivarria GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8865461 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature