scholarly journals Absence of vaccine-enhanced disease with unexpected positive protection against SARS-CoV-2 by inactivated vaccine given within three days of virus challenge in Syrian hamster model

Author(s):  
Can Li ◽  
Yan-Xia Chen ◽  
Fei-Fei Liu ◽  
Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee ◽  
Yan Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Mass vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is ongoing amidst widespread transmission during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Disease phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2 exposure occurring around the time of vaccine administration have not been described. Methods Two-dose (14 days apart) vaccination regimen with a formalin-inactivated whole virion SARS-CoV-2 in golden Syrian hamster model was established. To investigate the disease phenotypes of a one-dose regimen given 3 days prior (D-3), 1 (D1) or 2 (D2) days after, or on the day (D0) of virus challenge, we monitored the serial clinical severity, tissue histopathology, virus burden, and antibody response of the vaccinated hamsters. Results The one-dose vaccinated hamsters had significantly lower clinical disease severity score, body weight loss, lung histology score, nucleocapsid protein expression in lung, infectious virus titres in the lung and nasal turbinate, inflammatory changes in intestines and a higher serum neutralizing antibody or IgG titre against the spike receptor-binding domain or nucleocapsid protein when compared to unvaccinated controls. These improvements were particularly noticeable in D-3, but also in D0, D1 and even D2 vaccinated hamsters to varying degrees. No increased eosinophilic infiltration was found in the nasal turbinate, lung, and intestine after virus challenge. Significantly higher serum titre of fluorescent foci microneutralization inhibition antibody was detected in D1 and D2 vaccinated hamsters at day 4 post-challenge compared to controls despite undetectable neutralizing antibody titre. Conclusions Vaccination just before or soon after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 does not worsen disease phenotypes and may even ameliorate infection.

Author(s):  
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan ◽  
Anna Jinxia Zhang ◽  
Shuofeng Yuan ◽  
Vincent Kwok-Man Poon ◽  
Chris Chung-Sing Chan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A physiological small-animal model that resembles COVID-19 with low mortality is lacking. Methods Molecular docking on the binding between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of common laboratory mammals and the receptor-binding domain of the surface spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 suggested that the golden Syrian hamster is an option. Virus challenge, contact transmission, and passive immunoprophylaxis studies were performed. Serial organ tissues and blood were harvested for histopathology, viral load and titer, chemokine/cytokine level, and neutralizing antibody titer. Results The Syrian hamster could be consistently infected by SARS-CoV-2. Maximal clinical signs of rapid breathing, weight loss, histopathological changes from the initial exudative phase of diffuse alveolar damage with extensive apoptosis to the later proliferative phase of tissue repair, airway and intestinal involvement with viral nucleocapsid protein expression, high lung viral load, and spleen and lymphoid atrophy associated with marked chemokine/cytokine activation were observed within the first week of virus challenge. The mean lung virus titer was between 105 and 107 TCID50/g. Challenged index hamsters consistently infected naive contact hamsters housed within the same cages, resulting in similar pathology but not weight loss. All infected hamsters recovered and developed mean serum neutralizing antibody titers ≥1:427 14 days postchallenge. Immunoprophylaxis with early convalescent serum achieved significant decrease in lung viral load but not in lung pathology. No consistent nonsynonymous adaptive mutation of the spike was found in viruses isolated from the infected hamsters. Conclusions Besides satisfying Koch’s postulates, this readily available hamster model is an important tool for studying transmission, pathogenesis, treatment, and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.


2001 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. A613-A613
Author(s):  
T IKEGAMI ◽  
P LATHAM ◽  
K KOBAYASHI ◽  
K ARIMORI ◽  
B BOUSCAREL

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuofeng Yuan ◽  
Zi-Wei Ye ◽  
Ronghui Liang ◽  
Kaiming Tang ◽  
Anna Jinxia Zhang ◽  
...  

The newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant first identified in South Africa in November 2021 is characterized by an unusual number of amino acid mutations in its spike that renders existing vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies dramatically less effective. The in vivo pathogenicity, transmissibility, and fitness of this new Variant of Concerns are unknown. We investigated these virological attributes of the Omicron variant in comparison with those of the currently dominant Delta (B.1.617.2) variant in the golden Syrian hamster COVID-19 model. Omicron-infected hamsters developed significantly less body weight losses, clinical scores, respiratory tract viral burdens, cytokine/chemokine dysregulation, and tissue damages than Delta-infected hamsters. The Omicron and Delta variant were both highly transmissible (100% vs 100%) via contact transmission. Importantly, the Omicron variant consistently demonstrated about 10-20% higher transmissibility than the already-highly transmissible Delta variant in repeated non-contact transmission studies (overall: 30/36 vs 24/36, 83.3% vs 66.7%). The Delta variant displayed higher fitness advantage than the Omicron variant without selection pressure in both in vitro and in vivo competition models. However, this scenario drastically changed once immune selection pressure with neutralizing antibodies active against the Delta variant but poorly active against the Omicron variant were introduced, with the Omicron variant significantly outcompeting the Delta variant. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that while the Omicron variant is less pathogenic than the Delta variant, it is highly transmissible and can outcompete the Delta variant under immune selection pressure. Next-generation vaccines and antivirals effective against this new VOC are urgently needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Becker ◽  
Georg Beythien ◽  
Nicole de Buhr ◽  
Stephanie Stanelle-Bertram ◽  
Berfin Tuku ◽  
...  

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been identified as one pathogenetic trigger in severe COVID-19 cases and therefore well-described animal models to understand the influence of NETs in COVID-19 pathogenesis are needed. SARS-CoV-2 infection causes infection and interstitial pneumonia of varying severity in humans and COVID-19 models. Pulmonary as well as peripheral vascular lesions represent a severe, sometimes fatal, disease complication of unknown pathogenesis in COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are known to contribute to vessel inflammation or endothelial damage, have also been shown as potential driver of COVID-19 in humans. Though most studies in animal models describe the pulmonary lesions characterized by interstitial inflammation, type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, edema, fibrin formation and infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils, detailed pathological description of vascular lesions or NETs in COVID-19 animal models are lacking so far. Here we report different types of pulmonary vascular lesions in the golden Syrian hamster model of COVID-19. Vascular lesions included endothelialitis and vasculitis at 3 and 6 days post infection (dpi), and were almost nearly resolved at 14 dpi. Importantly, virus antigen was present in pulmonary lesions, but lacking in vascular alterations. In good correlation to these data, NETs were detected in the lungs of infected animals at 3 and 6 dpi. Hence, the Syrian hamster seems to represent a useful model to further investigate the role of vascular lesions and NETs in COVID-19 pathogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linqi Zhang ◽  
Mingxi Li ◽  
Jingao Guo ◽  
Shuaiyao Lu ◽  
Runhong Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract The development of an effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of pandemic coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is a global priority. Here, we present three chimpanzee adenovirus vaccines that express either the full-length spike (ChAdTS-S), or receptor-binding domain (RBD) with two different signal sequences (ChAdTS-RBD and ChAdTS-RBDs). Single-dose intranasal or intramuscular immunization induced robust and sustained neutralizing antibody responses in BALB/c mice, with ChAdTS-S being superior to ChAdTS-RBD and ChAdTS-RBDs. Intranasal immunization appeared to induce a predominately Th2-based response whereas intramuscular administration resulted in a predominately Th1 response. The neutralizing activity against several circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants remained unaffected for mice serum but reduced for rhesus macaque serum. Importantly, immunization with ChAdTS-S via either route induced protective immunity against high-dose challenge with live SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques. Vaccinated macaques demonstrated dramatic decreases in viral RNA in the lungs and nasal swabs, as well as reduced lung pathology compared to the control animals. Similar protective effects were also found in a golden Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Taken together, these results confirm that ChAdTS-S can induce protective immune responses in experimental animals, meriting further development toward a human vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (16) ◽  
pp. 2139-2149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan ◽  
Shuofeng Yuan ◽  
Anna Jinxia Zhang ◽  
Vincent Kwok-Man Poon ◽  
Chris Chung-Sing Chan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is believed to be mostly transmitted by medium- to large-sized respiratory droplets, although airborne transmission may be possible in healthcare settings involving aerosol-generating procedures. Exposure to respiratory droplets can theoretically be reduced by surgical mask usage. However, there is a lack of experimental evidence supporting surgical mask usage for prevention of COVID-19. Methods We used a well-established golden Syrian hamster SARS-CoV-2 model. We placed SARS-CoV-2-challenged index hamsters and naive hamsters into closed system units each comprising 2 different cages separated by a polyvinyl chloride air porous partition with unidirectional airflow within the isolator. The effect of a surgical mask partition placed between the cages was investigated. Besides clinical scoring, hamster specimens were tested for viral load, histopathology, and viral nucleocapsid antigen expression. Results Noncontact transmission was found in 66.7% (10/15) of exposed naive hamsters. Surgical mask partition for challenged index or naive hamsters significantly reduced transmission to 25% (6/24, P = .018). Surgical mask partition for challenged index hamsters significantly reduced transmission to only 16.7% (2/12, P = .019) of exposed naive hamsters. Unlike the severe manifestations of challenged hamsters, infected naive hamsters had lower clinical scores, milder histopathological changes, and lower viral nucleocapsid antigen expression in respiratory tract tissues. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted by respiratory droplets or airborne droplet nuclei which could be reduced by surgical mask partition in the hamster model. This is the first in vivo experimental evidence to support the possible benefit of surgical mask in prevention of COVID-19 transmission, especially when masks were worn by infected individuals.


2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (24) ◽  
pp. 5772-5782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiqiu Huang ◽  
Zhuohong Xie ◽  
Stephen M. Boue ◽  
Deepak Bhatnagar ◽  
Wallace Yokoyama ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingxi Li ◽  
Jingao Guo ◽  
Shuaiyao Lu ◽  
Runhong Zhou ◽  
Hongyang Shi ◽  
...  

The development of a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of pandemic coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is a global priority. Here, we aim to develop novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on a derivative of less commonly used rare adenovirus serotype AdC68 vector. Three vaccine candidates were constructed expressing either the full-length spike (AdC68-19S) or receptor-binding domain (RBD) with two different signal sequences (AdC68-19RBD and AdC68-19RBDs). Single-dose intramuscular immunization induced robust and sustained binding and neutralizing antibody responses in BALB/c mice up to 40 weeks after immunization, with AdC68-19S being superior to AdC68-19RBD and AdC68-19RBDs. Importantly, immunization with AdC68-19S induced protective immunity against high-dose challenge with live SARS-CoV-2 in a golden Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccinated animals demonstrated dramatic decreases in viral RNA copies and infectious virus in the lungs, as well as reduced lung pathology compared to the control animals. Similar protective effects were also found in rhesus macaques. Taken together, these results confirm that AdC68-19S can induce protective immune responses in experimental animals, meriting further development toward a human vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan D Griffin ◽  
Bryce M Warner ◽  
Mable Chan ◽  
Emelissa J Mendoza ◽  
Nikesh Tailor ◽  
...  

The emergence of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the resultant pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to over one hundred million confirmed infections, greater than three million deaths, and severe economic and social disruption. Animal models of SARS-CoV-2 are critical tools for the pre-clinical evaluation of antivirals, vaccines, and candidate therapeutics currently under urgent development to curb COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. The golden (Syrian) hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection recapitulates key characteristics of severe COVID-19, including high-titer viral replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract and the development of pathogenic lesions in the lungs. In this work we examined the influence of the route of exposure, sex, and age on SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in golden hamsters. We report that delivery of SARS-CoV-2 primarily to the nasal passages (low-volume intranasal), the upper and lower respiratory tract (high-volume intranasal), or the digestive tract (intragastric) results in comparable viral titers in the lung tissue and similar levels of viral shedding during acute infection. However, low-volume intranasal exposure results in milder weight loss during acute infection while intragastric exposure leads to a diminished capacity to regain body weight following the period of acute illness. Further, we examined both sex and age differences in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Male hamsters, and to a greater extent older male hamsters, display an impaired capacity to recover from illness and a delay in viral clearance compared to females. Lastly, route of exposure, sex, and age were found to influence the nature of the host inflammatory cytokine response, but they had a minimal effect on both the quality and durability of the humoral immune response as well as the susceptibility of hamsters to SARS-CoV-2 re-infection. Together, these data indicate that the route of exposure, sex, and age have a meaningful impact SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis in hamsters and that these variables should be considered when designing pre-clinical challenge studies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 6607-6614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin G. Julander ◽  
Shanta Bantia ◽  
Brian R. Taubenheim ◽  
Dena M. Minning ◽  
Pravin Kotian ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNo effective antiviral therapies are currently available to treat disease after infection with yellow fever virus (YFV). A Syrian golden hamster model of yellow fever (YF) was used to characterize the effect of treatment with BCX4430, a novel adenosine nucleoside analog. Significant improvement in survival was observed after treatment with BCX4430 at 4 mg/kg of body weight per day dosed intraperitoneally (i.p.) twice daily (BID). Treatment with BCX4430 at 12.5 mg/kg/day administered i.p. BID for 7 days offered complete protection from mortality and also resulted in significant improvement of other YF disease parameters, including weight loss, serum alanine aminotransferase levels (6 days postinfection [dpi]), and viremia (4 dpi). In uninfected hamsters, BCX4430 at 200 mg/kg/day administered i.p. BID for 7 days was well tolerated and did not result in mortality or weight loss, suggesting a potentially wide therapeutic index. Treatment with BCX4430 at 12 mg/kg/day i.p. remained effective when administered once daily and for only 4 days. Moreover, BCX4430 dosed at 200 mg/kg/day i.p. BID for 7 days effectively treated YF, even when treatment was delayed up to 4 days after virus challenge, corresponding with peak viral titers in the liver and serum. BCX4430 treatment did not preclude a protective antibody response, as higher neutralizing antibody (nAb) concentrations corresponded with increasing delays of treatment initiation, and greater nAb responses resulted in the protection of animals from a secondary challenge with YFV. In summary, BCX4430 is highly active in a hamster model of YF, even when treatment is initiated at the peak of viral replication.


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