Genetically modified mouse models to help fight COVID-19

Nat Protoc. 2020 Dec;15(12):3777-3787. doi: 10.1038/s41596-020-00403-2. Epub 2020 Oct 26.

Abstract

The research community is in a race to understand the molecular mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, to repurpose currently available antiviral drugs and to develop new therapies and vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). One major challenge in achieving these goals is the paucity of suitable preclinical animal models. Mice constitute ~70% of all the laboratory animal species used in biomedical research. Unfortunately, SARS-CoV-2 infects mice only if they have been genetically modified to express human ACE2. The inherent resistance of wild-type mice to SARS-CoV-2, combined with a wealth of genetic tools that are available only for modifying mice, offers a unique opportunity to create a versatile set of genetically engineered mouse models useful for COVID-19 research. We propose three broad categories of these models and more than two dozen designs that may be useful for SARS-CoV-2 research and for fighting COVID-19.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / genetics
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • COVID-19 / genetics*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Genetic Loci / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Point Mutation

Substances

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2