scholarly journals Monitoring group activity of hamsters and mice as a novel tool to evaluate COVID-19 progression, convalescence and rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccination efficacy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Melamed ◽  
Boaz Politi ◽  
Ettie Grauer ◽  
Hagit Achdout ◽  
Moshe Aftalion ◽  
...  

COVID-19 pandemic initiated a worldwide race toward the development of treatments and vaccines. Small animal models were the Syrian golden hamster and the K18-hACE2 mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 to display a disease state with some aspects of the human COVID-19. Group activity of animals in their home cage continuously monitored by the HCMS100 was used as a sensitive marker of disease, successfully detecting morbidity symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters and in K18-hACE2 mice. COVID-19 convalescent hamsters re-challenged with SARS-CoV-2, exhibited minor reduction in group activity compared to naive hamsters. To evaluate rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccination efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, we used the HCMS100 to monitor group activity of hamsters in their home cage. Single-dose rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccination of immunized group showed a faster recovery compared to the non-immunized infected hamsters, substantiating the efficacy of rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccine. HCMS100 offers non-intrusive, hands-free monitoring of a number of home cages of hamsters or mice modeling COVID-19.

Author(s):  
Sharon Melamed ◽  
Boaz Politi ◽  
Ettie Grauer ◽  
Hagit Achdout ◽  
Moshe Aftalion ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic initiated a worldwide race toward the development of treatments and vaccines. Small animal models included the Syrian golden hamster and the K18-hACE2 mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 to display a disease state with some aspects of human COVID-19. A group activity of animals in their home cage continuously monitored by the HCMS100 (Home cage Monitoring System 100) was used as a sensitive marker of disease, successfully detecting morbidity symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters and in K18-hACE2 mice. COVID-19 convalescent hamsters rechallenged with SARS-CoV-2 exhibited minor reduction in group activity compared to naive hamsters. To evaluate the rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccination efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, we used the HCMS100 to monitor the group activity of hamsters in their home cage. A single-dose rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccination of the immunized group showed a faster recovery than the nonimmunized infected hamsters, substantiating the efficacy of rVSV-ΔG-spike vaccine. HCMS100 offers nonintrusive, hands-free monitoring of a number of home cages of hamsters or mice modeling COVID-19.


Placenta ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Siragher ◽  
Amanda N. Sferruzzi-Perri

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulas Bagci ◽  
Gabriela Kramer-Marek ◽  
Daniel J Mollura

2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Nordbeck ◽  
Leoni Bönhof ◽  
Karl-Heinz Hiller ◽  
Sabine Voll ◽  
Paula Arias ◽  
...  

Background: Surgical procedures in small animal models of heart disease, such as artificial ligation of the coronary arteries for experimental myocardial infarction, can evoke alterations in cardiac morphology and function. Such alterations might induce artificial early or long term effects in vivo that might account for a significant bias in basic cardiovascular research, and, therefore, could potentially question the meaning of respective studies in small animal models of heart disease. Methods: Female Wistar rats were matched for weight and distributed to sham left coronary artery ligation or untreated control. Cardiac parameters were then investigated in vivo by high-field MRI over time after the surgical procedure, determining left and right ventricular morphology and function. Additionally, the time course of several metabolic and inflammatory blood parameters was determined. Results: Rats after sham surgery showed a lower body weight for up to 8 weeks after the intervention compared to healthy controls. Left and right ventricular morphology and function were not different in absolute measures in both groups 1 week after surgery. However, there was a confined difference in several cardiac parameters normalized to the body weight (bw), such as myocardial mass (2.19±0.30/0.83±0.13 vs. 1.85±0.22/0.70±0.07 mg left/right per g bw, p<0.05), or enddiastolic ventricular volume (1.31±0.36/1.21±0.31 vs. 1.14±0.20/1.07±0.17 µl left/right per g bw, p<0.05). Vice versa, after 8 weeks, cardiac masses, volumes, and output showed a trend for lower values in the sham operated rats compared to the controls in absolute measures (782.2±57.2/260.2±33.2 vs. 805.9±84.8/310.4±48.5 mg, p<0.05 for left/right ventricular mass), but not normalized to body weight. Matching these findings, blood testing revealed prolonged metabolic and inflammatory changes after surgery not related to cardiac disease. Conclusion: There is a small distinct impact of cardio-thoracic surgical procedures on the global integrity of the organism, which in the long term also includes circumscribed repercussions on cardiac morphology and function. This impact has to be considered when analyzing data from respective studies and transferring the findings to conditions in patients.


2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Nahrendorf ◽  
K.-H. Hiller ◽  
K. Hu ◽  
G. Ertl ◽  
A. Haase ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Patten ◽  
Monica R. Hall-Porter

Author(s):  
Zachary Fralish ◽  
Ethan M. Lotz ◽  
Taylor Chavez ◽  
Alastair Khodabukus ◽  
Nenad Bursac

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized cholinergic synaptic interface between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber that translates presynaptic electrical impulses into motor function. NMJ formation and maintenance require tightly regulated signaling and cellular communication among motor neurons, myogenic cells, and Schwann cells. Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) can result in loss of NMJ function and motor input leading to paralysis or even death. Although small animal models have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the NMJ structure and function, the complexities of studying this multi-tissue system in vivo and poor clinical outcomes of candidate therapies developed in small animal models has driven the need for in vitro models of functional human NMJ to complement animal studies. In this review, we discuss prevailing models of NMDs and highlight the current progress and ongoing challenges in developing human iPSC-derived (hiPSC) 3D cell culture models of functional NMJs. We first review in vivo development of motor neurons, skeletal muscle, Schwann cells, and the NMJ alongside current methods for directing the differentiation of relevant cell types from hiPSCs. We further compare the efficacy of modeling NMDs in animals and human cell culture systems in the context of five NMDs: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and Pompe disease. Finally, we discuss further work necessary for hiPSC-derived NMJ models to function as effective personalized NMD platforms.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Obeid ◽  
Ramzy C. Khabbaz ◽  
Kelly D. Garcia ◽  
Kyle M. Schachtschneider ◽  
Ron C. Gaba

Animal models have become increasingly important in the study of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as they serve as a critical bridge between laboratory-based discoveries and human clinical trials. Developing an ideal animal model for translational use is challenging, as the perfect model must be able to reproduce human disease genetically, anatomically, physiologically, and pathologically. This brief review provides an overview of the animal models currently available for translational liver cancer research, including rodent, rabbit, non-human primate, and pig models, with a focus on their respective benefits and shortcomings. While small animal models offer a solid starting point for investigation, large animal HCC models are becoming increasingly important for translation of preclinical results to clinical practice.


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