Study on the susceptibility of bovine coronavirus to BALB/c mice

Song Guo ¹, Tingfu Yan ¹, Mengmeng Gao ¹

⁰College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, 163319, China.

Microbial Pathogenesis +

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May 28, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Researchers developed a new mouse model for bovine coronavirus (BCoV) infection, overcoming limitations of calf models. This model aids in evaluating BCoV vaccines and understanding disease mechanisms.

Area Of Science

Veterinary Virology
Infectious Disease Modeling

Background

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) infection research is limited by the lack of suitable animal models beyond calves.
Calf models are costly and operationally challenging, hindering vaccine efficacy evaluation and pathogenic mechanism studies.

Purpose Of The Study

To establish a reproducible mouse model for bovine coronavirus (BCoV) infection.
To optimize infection conditions for BCoV in BALB/c mice.
To characterize the pathological and immunological responses to BCoV infection in mice.

Main Methods

BALB/c mice were infected with BCoV via gavage, intraperitoneal, or tail vein injection at varying doses.
Optimal infection conditions involved continuous oral gavage for 3 days at 4 × 10^8 TCID50.
Post-infection assessments included body weight, blood counts, inflammatory markers, organ pathology, viral distribution, and viral load.

Main Results

The optimized BCoV infection model in BALB/c mice showed significant lung consolidation and colon wall thinning by day 7.
Inflammatory cell infiltration was prominent in the colon and alveoli, with detectable BCoV Ag and nucleic acid in visceral organs.
Viral load was highest in the colon and lungs, accompanied by decreased body weight, altered blood cell counts, and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6).

Conclusions

A BALB/c mouse model for BCoV infection was successfully established using optimized oral gavage conditions.
This model mimics key pathological and immunological features of BCoV infection, including respiratory and gastrointestinal lesions.
The developed mouse model provides a valuable tool for BCoV vaccine development and pathogenesis research.

Keywords:

Bovine coronavirus Histopathological lesions Mouse model Target organs