Zebrafish models of COVID-19

Abstract Although COVID-19 has only recently appeared, research studies have already developed and implemented many animal models for deciphering the secrets of the disease and provided insights into the biology of SARS-CoV-2. However, there are several major factors that complicate the study of thi...

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Published in:FEMS microbiology reviews 2023-01, Vol.47 (1), p.1
Main Authors: Tyrkalska, Sylwia D, Candel, Sergio, Pedoto, Annamaria, García-Moreno, Diana, Alcaraz-Pérez, Francisca, Sánchez-Ferrer, Álvaro, Cayuela, María L, Mulero, Victoriano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Aged
Animal models
Animals
Clinical isolates
Comorbidity
COVID-19
COVID-19 diagnostic tests
COVID-19 Testing
Health aspects
Humans
Immunopathology
Infection
Infectivity
Laboratory animals
Laboratory tests
Older people
Respiratory distress syndrome
Review
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Side effects
Telomeres
Viral diseases
Zebrafish
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Summary:Abstract Although COVID-19 has only recently appeared, research studies have already developed and implemented many animal models for deciphering the secrets of the disease and provided insights into the biology of SARS-CoV-2. However, there are several major factors that complicate the study of this virus in model organisms, such as the poor infectivity of clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 in some model species, and the absence of persistent infection, immunopathology, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and, in general, all the systemic complications which characterize COVID-19 clinically. Another important limitation is that SARS-CoV-2 mainly causes severe COVID-19 in older people with comorbidities, which represents a serious problem when attempting to use young and immunologically naïve laboratory animals in COVID-19 testing. We review here the main animal models developed so far to study COVID-19 and the unique advantages of the zebrafish model that may help to contribute to understand this disease, in particular to the identification and repurposing of drugs to treat COVID-19, to reveal the mechanism of action and side-effects of Spike-based vaccines, and to decipher the high susceptibility of aged people to COVID-19. We review the unique advantages of the zebrafish model that may help to the identification and repurposing of drugs to treat COVID-19, to reveal the mechanism of action and side-effects of Spike-based vaccines, and to decipher the role of aging in COVID-19.
ISSN:1574-6976
0168-6445
1574-6976
DOI:10.1093/femsre/fuac042