Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Production of Genetically Engineered Golden Syrian Hamsters by Pronuclear Injection of the CRISPR/Cas9 Complex
Published on: January 9, 2018
Differences in Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Transgenic hACE2-Hamster Founder Lines.
Scott A Gibson1,2, Yanan Liu1, Rong Li1
1Department of Animal, Diary and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
Transgenic hamsters expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) provide a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) model. Prophylactic treatment with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly (I:C)) improved survival in highly susceptible hACE2 transgenic hamsters.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Genetics
- Immunology
Background:
- Golden Syrian hamsters are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 but exhibit limited disease.
- A more severe animal model is needed for COVID-19 pathogenesis and therapeutic development.
- Human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) is the primary receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a severe COVID-19 animal model using hACE2 transgenic hamsters.
- To evaluate the susceptibility and disease progression in different hACE2 transgenic hamster founder lines.
- To assess the therapeutic potential of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly (I:C)) in this model.
Main Methods:
- Generation of hACE2 transgenic hamster founder lines.
- Infection of founder lines with SARS-CoV-2 and monitoring of clinical signs, weight loss, and mortality.
- Viral load quantification in tissues and assessment of histopathological changes.
- Prophylactic treatment with Poly (I:C) in highly susceptible lines.
Main Results:
- Highly susceptible hACE2 transgenic hamster lines (F0F35, F0M41) exhibited rapid progression to severe disease, including mortality, within 6 days post-infection.
- Clinical signs included lethargy, weight loss, dyspnea, and histopathological evidence of rhinitis, pneumonia, and encephalitis.
- Prophylactic Poly (I:C) treatment significantly improved survival rates in highly susceptible hACE2 hamsters.
Conclusions:
- hACE2 transgenic hamsters offer a valuable model for studying severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 pathogenesis.
- Founder line variation influences susceptibility to lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Poly (I:C) demonstrates protective efficacy in this severe COVID-19 hamster model.
More Related Videos
08:41Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2
Published on: November 5, 2021
05:48Removal of an Internal Translational Start Site from mRNA While Retaining Expression of the Full-Length Protein
Published on: March 16, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Viral Recombination
Viral Mutations
Leaky Scanning
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
Coronavirus