Infection of SARS-CoV-2 causes severe pathological changes in mouse testis  

作　　者：Min Chen Shihua Li Shujun Liu Yuhang Zhang Xiuhong Cui Limin Lv Bowen Liu Aihua Zheng Qihui Wang Shuguang Duo Fei Gao 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology,Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [2]Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [3]Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine,Beijing 100101,China [4]University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [5]CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology,Institute of Microbiology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [6]Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [7]State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents,Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [8]CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China

出　　处：《Journal of Genetics and Genomics》2023年第2期99-107,共9页遗传学报（英文版）

基　　金：supported by National key R&D program of China(2018YFA0107700);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170855,31970785);Biological Resources Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KFJ-BRP-005).

摘　　要：Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARSCoV-2),has affected more than 600 million people worldwide.Several organs including lung,intestine,and brain are infected by SARS-CoV-2.It has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2(ACE2)is expressed in human testis.However,whether testis is also affected by SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear.In this study,we generate a human ACE2(hACE2)transgenic mouse model in which the expression of hACE2 gene is regulated by hACE2 promoter.Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in vitro,and severe pathological changes are observed after injecting the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus into the seminiferous tubules.Further studies reveal that Sertoli and Leydig cells from hACE2 transgenic mice are also infected by authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus in vitro.After testis interstitium injection,authentic SARS-CoV-2 viruses are first disseminated to the interstitial cells,and then detected inside the seminiferous tubules which in turn cause germ cell loss and disruption of seminiferous tubules.Our study demonstrates that testis is most likely a target of SARS-CoV-2 virus.Attention should be paid to the reproductive function in SARS-CoV-2 patients.

关 键 词：SARS-CoV-2 ACE2 Sertoli cell Leydig cell TESTIS 

分 类 号：R511[医药卫生—内科学] R697.22[医药卫生—临床医学]