Hamster model for post-COVID-19 alveolar regeneration offers an opportunity to understand post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2

Laura Heydemann, Małgorzata Ciurkiewicz, Georg Beythien, Kathrin Becker, Klaus Schughart, Stephanie Stanelle-Bertram, Berfin Schaumburg, Nancy Mounogou-Kouassi, Sebastian Beck, Martin Zickler, Mark Kühnel, Gülsah Gabriel, Andreas Beineke, Wolfgang Baumgärtner () and Federico Armando
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Laura Heydemann: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Małgorzata Ciurkiewicz: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Georg Beythien: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Kathrin Becker: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Klaus Schughart: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Stephanie Stanelle-Bertram: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Berfin Schaumburg: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Nancy Mounogou-Kouassi: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Sebastian Beck: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Martin Zickler: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Mark Kühnel: Hannover Medical School (MHH)
Gülsah Gabriel: Leibniz Institute for Virology
Andreas Beineke: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Wolfgang Baumgärtner: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation
Federico Armando: University of Veterinary Medicine, Foundation

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Abstract COVID-19 survivors often suffer from post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Current evidence suggests dysregulated alveolar regeneration as a possible explanation for respiratory PASC, which deserves further investigation in a suitable animal model. This study investigates morphological, phenotypical and transcriptomic features of alveolar regeneration in SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian golden hamsters. We demonstrate that CK8+ alveolar differentiation intermediate (ADI) cells occur following SARS-CoV-2-induced diffuse alveolar damage. A subset of ADI cells shows nuclear accumulation of TP53 at 6- and 14-days post infection (dpi), indicating a prolonged arrest in the ADI state. Transcriptome data show high module scores for pathways involved in cell senescence, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis in cell clusters with high ADI gene expression. Moreover, we show that multipotent CK14+ airway basal cell progenitors migrate out of terminal bronchioles, aiding alveolar regeneration. At 14 dpi, ADI cells, peribronchiolar proliferates, M2-macrophages, and sub-pleural fibrosis are observed, indicating incomplete alveolar restoration. The results demonstrate that the hamster model reliably phenocopies indicators of a dysregulated alveolar regeneration of COVID-19 patients. The results provide important information on a translational COVID-19 model, which is crucial for its application in future research addressing pathomechanisms of PASC and in testing of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches for this syndrome.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39049-5

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