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Hamster models for COVID-19: How can we help people?

Kristina Dietert, Simon Dökel, Theresa Firsching, Judith Hoppe, Anne Voß, Olivia Kershaw and Achim Gruber

Together with animal virologists from Freie Universität Berlin and numerous clinical and basic researchers from Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, we are investigating SARS-CoV-2 infections in various hamster models in order to be able to help in the current pandemic with scientifically sound data and test platforms. Unfortunately, animal models are still absolutely essential here, as suitable replacement methods are not yet available and many questions cannot be tested on humans straight away. Our research is embedded in the Collaborative Research Center SFB-TR84 and is therefore funded by the German Research Foundation .

In contrast to the classic model animal, the mouse, hamsters are naturally susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and develop pneumonia, which is similar in many aspects to the changes in COVID-19 patients. Interestingly, significant differences in the course of the disease are observed depending on the age of the animals at the time of infection, similar to infections in different age groups in humans (keywords: children, adults, seniors). Various hamster species (including golden hamsters, Chinese hamsters and Roborovski dwarf hamsters), some of which are only distantly related phylogenetically, are used for the studies. Interestingly, the different hamster species develop very different clinical forms and courses of pneumonia, which means that different forms of progression can be modeled in humans (keyword: pre-existing conditions). This means that several suitable models are available for researching various fundamental questions and clinical challenges. The hamster models are particularly interesting and valuable in the fight against the pandemic, especially for testing drug therapy options and developing and testing vaccines for efficacy and undesirable side effects. At the same time, we are learning about important differences to humans, which, as with any transfer of information from models, must be taken into account. Cross-species comparative pathology provides valuable contributions here.

Selected literature:

  1. Gruber AD, Osterrieder N, Bertzbach LD, Vladimirova D, Greuel S, Ihlow J, Horst D, Trimpert J, and Dietert K. Standardization of Reporting Criteria for Lung Pathology in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Hamsters – What matters? American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 2020, 63(6): 856-859

  2. Osterrieder N, Bertzbach LD, Dietert K, Abdelgawad A, Vladimirova D, Kunec D, Hoffmann D, Beer M, Gruber AD, and Trimpert J. Age-Dependent Progression of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Syrian Hamsters. Viruses 2020, 12 (7): 779

  3. Trimpert J, Vladimirova D, Dietert K, Abdelgawad A, Kunec D, Dökel S, Gruber AD, Bertzbach LD, and Osterrieder N. The Roborovski Dwarf Hamster – A Highly Susceptible Model for a Rapid and Fatal Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Cell Reports 2020, 33 (19): 108488

  4. Bertzbach LD, Vladimirova D, Dietert K, Abdelgawad A, Gruber AD, Osterrieder N, and Trimpert J. SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Chinese Hamsters (Cricetulus griseus) Reproduces COVID-19 Pneumonia in a Well-Established Small Animal Model. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 2020 18;10.1111/tbed.13837

  5. Kreye J, Reincke SM, Kornau HC, Sanchez-Sendin E, Corman VM, Liu H, Yuan M, Wu NC, Zhu X, Lee CD, Trimpert J, Hoeltje M, Dietert K, Stoeffler L, von Wardenburg N, van Hoof S, Homeyer MA, Hoffmann J, Abdelgawad A, Gruber AD, Bertzbach LD, Vladimirova D, Li LY, Barthel PC, Skriner K, Hocke AC, Hippenstiel S, Witzenrath M, Suttorp N, Kurth F, Franke C, Endres M, Schmitz D, Jeworowski LM, Richter A, Schmidt ML, Schwarz T, Mueller MA, Drosten C, Wendisch D, Sander LE, Osterrieder N, Wilson IA, and Pruess H. A SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody protects from lung pathology in a COVID-19 hamster model. CELL. 2020, 183(4):1058-1069.e19.