Warmer ambient air temperatures reduce nasal turbinate and brain infection, but increase lung inflammation in the K18-hACE2 mouse model of COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Warmer climatic conditions have been associated with fewer COVID-19 cases. Herein we infected K18-hACE2 mice housed at the standard animal house temperature of ∼22 °C, or at ∼31 °C, which is considered to be thermoneutral for mice. On day 2 post infection, RNA-Seq analyses showed no significant differential gene expression lung in lungs of mice housed at the two temperatures, with almost identical viral loads and type I interferon responses. There was also no significant difference in viral loads in lungs on day 5, but RNA-Seq and histology analyses showed clearly elevated inflammatory signatures and infiltrates. Thermoneutrality thus promoted lung inflammation. On day 2 post infection mice housed at 31 °C showed reduced viral loads in nasal turbinates, consistent with increased mucociliar

SUBMITTER: Dumenil T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9659553 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature