The G614 pandemic SARS-CoV-2 variant is not more pathogenic than the original D614 form in adult Syrian hamsters

Virology. 2021 Apr:556:96-100. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.01.005. Epub 2021 Jan 25.

Abstract

Dynamic tracking of variant frequencies among viruses circulating in the global pandemic has revealed the emergence and dominance of a D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. To address whether pandemic SARS-CoV-2 G614 variant has evolved to become more pathogenic, we infected adult hamsters (>10 months old) with two natural SARS-CoV-2 variants carrying either D614 or G614 spike protein to mimic infection of the adult/elderly human population. Hamsters infected by the two variants exhibited comparable viral loads and pathology in lung tissues as well as similar amounts of virus shed in nasal washes. Altogether, our study does not find that naturally circulating D614 and G614 SARS-CoV-2 variants differ significantly in pathogenicity in hamsters.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Hamster model; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Spike protein; Syrian hamsters.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • COVID-19 / pathology
  • COVID-19 / virology*
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology
  • Male
  • Mesocricetus
  • Mutation
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics
  • Vero Cells
  • Viral Load
  • Weight Loss

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2