학술논문
Full protection from SARS-CoV-2 brain infection and damage in susceptible transgenic mice conferred by MVA-CoV2-S vaccine candidate
Document Type
Article
Author
Villadiego, Javier; García-Arriaza, Juan; Ramírez-Lorca, Reposo; García-Swinburn, Roberto; Cabello-Rivera, Daniel; Rosales-Nieves, Alicia E.; Álvarez-Vergara, María I.; Cala-Fernández, Fernando; García-Roldán, Ernesto; López-Ogáyar, Juan L.; Zamora, Carmen; Astorgano, David; Albericio, Guillermo; Pérez, Patricia; Muñoz-Cabello, Ana M.; Pascual, Alberto; Esteban, Mariano; López-Barneo, José; Toledo-Aral, Juan José
Source
Nature Neuroscience; February 2023, Vol. 26 Issue: 2 p226-238, 13p
Subject
Language
ISSN
10976256; 15461726
Abstract
Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to be safe and effective but their protective efficacy against infection in the brain is yet unclear. Here, in the susceptible transgenic K18-hACE2 mouse model of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we report a spatiotemporal description of SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication through the brain. SARS-CoV-2 brain replication occurs primarily in neurons, leading to neuronal loss, signs of glial activation and vascular damage in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2. One or two doses of a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vector expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein (MVA-CoV2-S) conferred full protection against SARS-CoV-2 cerebral infection, preventing virus replication in all areas of the brain and its associated damage. This protection was maintained even after SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. These findings further support the use of MVA-CoV2-S as a promising vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.