J Vet Sci.  2021 May;22(3):e36. 10.4142/jvs.2021.22.e36.

C1qa deficiency in mice increases susceptibility to mouse hepatitis virus A59 infection

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
  • 2Regenerative Dental Medicine Institute, Hysensbio, Gwacheon 13814, Korea
  • 3Green Cross Corporation, Yongin 16924, Korea
  • 4Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea

Abstract

Background
Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) A59 is a highly infectious pathogen and starts in the respiratory tract and progresses to systemic infection in laboratory mice. The complement system is an important part of the host immune response to viral infection. It is not clear the role of the classical complement pathway in MHV infection.
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of the classical pathway in coronavirus pathogenesis by comparing C1qa KO mice and wild-type mice.
Methods
We generated a C1qa KO mouse using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and compared the susceptibility to MHV A59 infection between C1qa KO and wild-type mice. Histopathological and immunohistochemical changes, viral loads, and chemokine expressions in both mice were measured.
Results
MHV A59-infected C1qa KO mice showed severe histopathological changes, such as hepatocellular necrosis and interstitial pneumonia, compared to MHV A59-infected wildtype mice. Virus copy numbers in the olfactory bulb, liver, and lungs of C1qa KO mice were significantly higher than those of wild-type mice. The increase in viral copy numbers in C1qa KO mice was consistent with the histopathologic changes in organs. These results indicate that C1qa deficiency enhances susceptibility to MHV A59 systemic infection in mice. In addition, this enhanced susceptibility effect is associated with dramatic elevations in spleen IFN-γ, MIP-1 α, and MCP-1 in C1qa KO mice.
Conclusions
These data suggest that C1qa deficiency enhances susceptibility to MHV A59 systemic infection, and activation of the classical complement pathway may be important for protecting the host against MHV A59 infection.

Keyword

Mouse hepatitis virus; classical complement pathway; knockout mouse; CRISP
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