Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which can result in severe disease, often characterised by a 'cytokine storm' and the associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, many infections with SARS-CoV-2 are mi...

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Main Authors: Agnes Carolin, Kexin Yan, Cameron R Bishop, Bing Tang, Wilson Nguyen, Daniel J Rawle, Andreas Suhrbier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302344
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author Agnes Carolin
Kexin Yan
Cameron R Bishop
Bing Tang
Wilson Nguyen
Daniel J Rawle
Andreas Suhrbier
author_facet Agnes Carolin
Kexin Yan
Cameron R Bishop
Bing Tang
Wilson Nguyen
Daniel J Rawle
Andreas Suhrbier
author_sort Agnes Carolin
collection DOAJ
description The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which can result in severe disease, often characterised by a 'cytokine storm' and the associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, many infections with SARS-CoV-2 are mild or asymptomatic throughout the course of infection. Although blood biomarkers of severe disease are well studied, less well understood are the inflammatory signatures in lung tissues associated with mild disease or silent infections, wherein infection and inflammation are rapidly resolved leading to sequelae-free recovery. Herein we described RNA-Seq and histological analyses of lungs over time in an omicron BA.1/K18-hACE2 mouse infection model, which displays these latter features. Although robust infection was evident at 2 days post infection (dpi), viral RNA was largely cleared by 10 dpi. Acute inflammatory signatures showed a slightly different pattern of cytokine signatures compared with severe infection models, and where much diminished 30 dpi and absent by 66 dpi. Cellular deconvolution identified significantly increased abundance scores for a number of anti-inflammatory pro-resolution cell types at 5/10 dpi. These included type II innate lymphoid cells, T regulatory cells, and interstitial macrophages. Genes whose expression trended downwards over 2-66 dpi included biomarkers of severe disease and were associated with 'cytokine storm' pathways. Genes whose expression trended upward during this period were associated with recovery of ciliated cells, AT2 to AT1 transition, reticular fibroblasts and innate lymphoid cells, indicating a return to homeostasis. Very few differentially expressed host genes were identified at 66 dpi, suggesting near complete recovery. The parallels between mild or subclinical infections in humans and those observed in this BA.1/K18-hACE2 mouse model are discussed with reference to the concept of "protective inflammation".
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spelling doaj-art-ac48cd2ae0af478d985db4daceaf7d852024-11-19T05:31:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011911e030234410.1371/journal.pone.0302344Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.Agnes CarolinKexin YanCameron R BishopBing TangWilson NguyenDaniel J RawleAndreas SuhrbierThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which can result in severe disease, often characterised by a 'cytokine storm' and the associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, many infections with SARS-CoV-2 are mild or asymptomatic throughout the course of infection. Although blood biomarkers of severe disease are well studied, less well understood are the inflammatory signatures in lung tissues associated with mild disease or silent infections, wherein infection and inflammation are rapidly resolved leading to sequelae-free recovery. Herein we described RNA-Seq and histological analyses of lungs over time in an omicron BA.1/K18-hACE2 mouse infection model, which displays these latter features. Although robust infection was evident at 2 days post infection (dpi), viral RNA was largely cleared by 10 dpi. Acute inflammatory signatures showed a slightly different pattern of cytokine signatures compared with severe infection models, and where much diminished 30 dpi and absent by 66 dpi. Cellular deconvolution identified significantly increased abundance scores for a number of anti-inflammatory pro-resolution cell types at 5/10 dpi. These included type II innate lymphoid cells, T regulatory cells, and interstitial macrophages. Genes whose expression trended downwards over 2-66 dpi included biomarkers of severe disease and were associated with 'cytokine storm' pathways. Genes whose expression trended upward during this period were associated with recovery of ciliated cells, AT2 to AT1 transition, reticular fibroblasts and innate lymphoid cells, indicating a return to homeostasis. Very few differentially expressed host genes were identified at 66 dpi, suggesting near complete recovery. The parallels between mild or subclinical infections in humans and those observed in this BA.1/K18-hACE2 mouse model are discussed with reference to the concept of "protective inflammation".https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302344
spellingShingle Agnes Carolin
Kexin Yan
Cameron R Bishop
Bing Tang
Wilson Nguyen
Daniel J Rawle
Andreas Suhrbier
Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
PLoS ONE
title Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
title_full Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
title_fullStr Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
title_full_unstemmed Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
title_short Tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.1 infection of K18-hACE2 mice.
title_sort tracking inflammation resolution signatures in lungs after sars cov 2 omicron ba 1 infection of k18 hace2 mice
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302344
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