GM mice vs covid
Scientists have created glowing mice to test COVID-19 vaccines
Scientists of the Belgorod State National Research University (NRU "BelSU") and the Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBG RAS) have created a new line of humanized mice sensitive to infection with coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). These transgenic animals, according to the authors of the study, will help in studying the pathogenesis and conducting preclinical trials of new vaccines and drugs from COVID-19. The results of the work are presented in the journal Transgenic Research (Bruter et al., Novel transgenic mice with Cre-dependent co-expression of GFP and human ACE2: a safe tool for study of COVID-19 pathogenesis).
The authors of the work believe that the absence of laboratory animals sensitive to infection is the main factor limiting the development of vaccines and medicines for coronavirus. To solve this problem, the specialists of the National Research University "BelSU" and IBG RAS created transgenic rodents by introducing a gene that encodes the human receptor for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cell (ACE2).
According to BelSU experts, human ACE2 is embedded in the mouse genome as part of a complex structure that allows activating the transgen in different tissues "on demand". This will allow us to study the mechanisms of damage to individual organs, since after activation, not the whole organism will be sensitive to the virus, but only selected tissues. In addition, this approach makes it possible to regulate sensitivity to COVID-19 and makes the model biologically safe: before activation, transgenic mice are generally immune to SARS-CoV-2.
"The trick is that the transgenic construct is "silent" before crossing with special activators, the so-called Cre mice. With their help, it is possible to start the expression of hACE2, that is, to open the gates for SARS-CoV-2, either everywhere in the whole body, or selectively in various tissues, including lungs, kidneys, brain," explained the head of the study, director of the Joint Center for Genetic Technologies of the National Research University "BelSU" Alexey Deikin.
As part of the study, the scientists also introduced a green fluorescent protein GFP into the mouse genome, which is localized with human ACE2 and simplifies the detection of cells and tissues sensitive to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Experts believe that this line of mice will speed up the testing of vaccines and medicines, and will also help to study the role of various organs in the infection of SARS-CoV-2 and the development of complications associated with COVID-19. Now rodents are already being used for research at the State Scientific Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector" of Rospotrebnadzor.
An important area of work should also be the assessment of the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on male infertility, the authors of the study noted. To do this, scientists proposed infecting mice with the virus from the line they had bred, having previously activated the transgen specifically in the organs of the male reproductive system.
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