SARS-CoV-2 infection induces inflammatory bone loss in golden Syrian hamsters

Wei Qiao, Hui En Lau, Huizhi Xie, Vincent Kwok-Man Poon, Chris Chung-Sing Chan, Hin Chu, Shuofeng Yuan, Terrence Tsz-Tai Yuen, Kenn Ka-Heng Chik, Jessica Oi-Ling Tsang, Chris Chun-Yiu Chan, Jian-Piao Cai, Cuiting Luo, Kwok-Yung Yuen, Kenneth Man-Chee Cheung, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan () and Kelvin Wai-Kwok Yeung ()
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Wei Qiao: the University of Hong Kong
Hui En Lau: the University of Hong Kong
Huizhi Xie: the University of Hong Kong
Vincent Kwok-Man Poon: The University of Hong Kong
Chris Chung-Sing Chan: The University of Hong Kong
Hin Chu: The University of Hong Kong
Shuofeng Yuan: The University of Hong Kong
Terrence Tsz-Tai Yuen: The University of Hong Kong
Kenn Ka-Heng Chik: The University of Hong Kong
Jessica Oi-Ling Tsang: The University of Hong Kong
Chris Chun-Yiu Chan: The University of Hong Kong
Jian-Piao Cai: The University of Hong Kong
Cuiting Luo: The University of Hong Kong
Kwok-Yung Yuen: The University of Hong Kong
Kenneth Man-Chee Cheung: the University of Hong Kong
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan: The University of Hong Kong
Kelvin Wai-Kwok Yeung: the University of Hong Kong

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Extrapulmonary complications of different organ systems have been increasingly recognized in patients with severe or chronic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, limited information on the skeletal complications of COVID-19 is known, even though inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract have been known to perturb bone metabolism and cause pathological bone loss. In this study, we characterize the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on bone metabolism in an established golden Syrian hamster model for COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 causes significant multifocal loss of bone trabeculae in the long bones and lumbar vertebrae of all infected hamsters. Moreover, we show that the bone loss is associated with SARS-CoV-2-induced cytokine dysregulation, as the circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines not only upregulate osteoclastic differentiation in bone tissues, but also trigger an amplified pro-inflammatory cascade in the skeletal tissues to augment their pro-osteoclastogenesis effect. Our findings suggest that pathological bone loss may be a neglected complication which warrants more extensive investigations during the long-term follow-up of COVID-19 patients. The benefits of potential prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against pathological bone loss should be further evaluated.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30195-w

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