Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection
Neurological symptoms involving the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are common complications of acute COVID-19 as well as post-COVID conditions. Most research into these neurological sequalae focuses on the CNS, disregarding the PNS. Guinea pigs were previously shown...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/706 |
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| author | Jonathan D. Joyce Greyson A. Moore Christopher K. Thompson Andrea S. Bertke |
| author_facet | Jonathan D. Joyce Greyson A. Moore Christopher K. Thompson Andrea S. Bertke |
| author_sort | Jonathan D. Joyce |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neurological symptoms involving the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are common complications of acute COVID-19 as well as post-COVID conditions. Most research into these neurological sequalae focuses on the CNS, disregarding the PNS. Guinea pigs were previously shown to be useful models of disease during the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic. However, their suitability for studying SARS-CoV-2 has not been experimentally demonstrated. To assess the suitability of guinea pigs as models for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the PNS, and to determine routes of CNS invasion through the PNS, we intranasally infected wild-type Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs with ancestral SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020. We assessed PNS sensory neurons (trigeminal ganglia, dorsal root ganglia), autonomic neurons (superior cervical ganglia), brain regions (olfactory bulb, brainstem, cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus), lungs, and blood for viral RNA (RT-qPCR), protein (immunostaining), and infectious virus (plaque assay) at three- and six-days post infection. We show that guinea pigs, which have previously been used as a model of SARS-CoV-1 pulmonary disease, are not susceptible to intranasal infection with ancestral SARS-CoV-2, and are not useful models in assessing neurological impacts of infection with SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the early pandemic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b31f3b0947ad4ed8949e2bfaad1ed6c0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-b31f3b0947ad4ed8949e2bfaad1ed6c02025-08-20T02:33:59ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-05-0117570610.3390/v17050706Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal InfectionJonathan D. Joyce0Greyson A. Moore1Christopher K. Thompson2Andrea S. Bertke3Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USABiomedical and Veterinary Science, Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USACenter for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USANeurological symptoms involving the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are common complications of acute COVID-19 as well as post-COVID conditions. Most research into these neurological sequalae focuses on the CNS, disregarding the PNS. Guinea pigs were previously shown to be useful models of disease during the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic. However, their suitability for studying SARS-CoV-2 has not been experimentally demonstrated. To assess the suitability of guinea pigs as models for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the PNS, and to determine routes of CNS invasion through the PNS, we intranasally infected wild-type Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs with ancestral SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020. We assessed PNS sensory neurons (trigeminal ganglia, dorsal root ganglia), autonomic neurons (superior cervical ganglia), brain regions (olfactory bulb, brainstem, cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus), lungs, and blood for viral RNA (RT-qPCR), protein (immunostaining), and infectious virus (plaque assay) at three- and six-days post infection. We show that guinea pigs, which have previously been used as a model of SARS-CoV-1 pulmonary disease, are not susceptible to intranasal infection with ancestral SARS-CoV-2, and are not useful models in assessing neurological impacts of infection with SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the early pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/706SARS-CoV-2USA-WA1/2020COVID-19neuroinvasiontrigeminal gangliasuperior cervical ganglia |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan D. Joyce Greyson A. Moore Christopher K. Thompson Andrea S. Bertke Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection Viruses SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 COVID-19 neuroinvasion trigeminal ganglia superior cervical ganglia |
| title | Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection |
| title_full | Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection |
| title_fullStr | Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection |
| title_short | Guinea Pigs Are Not a Suitable Model to Study Neurological Impacts of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 Intranasal Infection |
| title_sort | guinea pigs are not a suitable model to study neurological impacts of ancestral sars cov 2 intranasal infection |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 COVID-19 neuroinvasion trigeminal ganglia superior cervical ganglia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/5/706 |
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