Sex and age bias viral burden and interferon responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets

Magen E Francis; Brian Richardson; Una Goncin; Mara McNeil; Melissa Rioux; Mary K Foley; Anni Ge; Roger D Pechous; Jason Kindrachuk; Cheryl M Cameron; Christopher Richardson; Jocelyne Lew; Steven Machtaler; Mark J Cameron; Volker Gerdts; Darryl Falzarano; Alyson A Kelvin

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-93855-9

Sex and age bias viral burden and interferon responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets

Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 15;11(1):14536. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93855-9.

Authors

Magen E Francis^{1

2}, Brian Richardson³, Una Goncin⁴, Mara McNeil¹, Melissa Rioux¹, Mary K Foley¹, Anni Ge¹, Roger D Pechous⁵, Jason Kindrachuk^{2

6}, Cheryl M Cameron⁷, Christopher Richardson¹, Jocelyne Lew², Steven Machtaler⁴, Mark J Cameron³, Volker Gerdts^{2

8}, Darryl Falzarano^{2

8}, Alyson A Kelvin^{9

10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
² Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada.
³ Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
⁴ Department of Medical Imaging, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada.
⁵ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AK, 72205, USA.
⁶ Laboratory of Emerging and Re-emerging Viruses, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada.
⁷ Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
⁸ Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada.
⁹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada. alyson.kelvin@usask.ca.
¹⁰ Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E3, Canada. alyson.kelvin@usask.ca.
¹¹ Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada. alyson.kelvin@usask.ca.
¹² Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, IWK Health Centre, 5980 University Ave, 4th Floor, R4020, Halifax, NS, B3K 6R8, Canada. alyson.kelvin@usask.ca.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) hospitalizations and deaths disportionally affect males and older ages. Here we investigated the impact of male sex and age comparing sex-matched or age-matched ferrets infected with SARS-CoV-2. Differences in temperature regulation was identified for male ferrets which was accompanied by prolonged viral replication in the upper respiratory tract after infection. Gene expression analysis of the nasal turbinates indicated that 1-year-old female ferrets had significant increases in interferon response genes post infection which were delayed in males. These results provide insight into COVID-19 and suggests that older males may play a role in viral transmission due to decreased antiviral responses.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Age Factors
Animals
Antibodies, Viral
COVID-19 / metabolism
COVID-19 / virology*
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Ferrets / metabolism
Ferrets / virology*
Host Microbial Interactions
Interferons / genetics
Interferons / metabolism*
Male
SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification
SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
Sex Factors
Viral Load
Virus Replication

Substances

Antibodies, Viral
Interferons

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding