SARS-CoV-2 Rapidly Adapts in Aged BALB/c Mice and Induces Typical Pneumonia
Yufei Zhang, Kun Huang, Ting Wang, Fēi Dèng, Wenxiao Gong, Xianfeng Hui, Ya Zhao, Xinlin He, Chengfei Li, Qiang Zhang, Xi Chen, Changjie Lv, Xian Lin, Ying Yang, Xiaomei Sun, Zheng‐Li Shi, Huanchun Chen, Zhong Zou, Meilin Jin
Abstract
Aged BALB/c model are in use as a model of disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Our research demonstrated SARS-CoV-2 can rapidly adapt in aged BALB/c mice through causing mutations at the RBD of the S protein. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2-infected aged BALB/c mice indicated that alveolar damage, interstitial pneumonia, and inflammatory immune responses were similar to the clinical manifestations of human infections. Therefore, our aged BALB/c challenge model will be useful for further understanding the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and for testing vaccines and antiviral agents.