SARS-CoV-2

[Journal of Virology] Scientists infected hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, from healthy human subjects, with SARS-CoV-2 in the absence and presence of IL-6 and IL-1β. Infection resulted in increased numbers of multinucleated cells.

[Molecular Therapy] To combat SARS-CoV-2, researchers characterized a temperature-stable vaccine candidate that used a replication-competent, attenuated vaccinia virus as a vector to express a membrane-tethered spike receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen.

[Cell Chemical Biology] The authors found that SARS-CoV-2 manipulated the antiviral and immune responses. They validated that the membrane protein ITGB1 associated angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry.

[Science Advances] Researchers compared variants of concern B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 to a recent B.1 SARS-CoV-2 isolate containing the D614G spike substitution in the rhesus macaque model. B.1.1.7 behaved similarly to D614G with respect to clinical disease and replication in the respiratory tract.

[Science] Following boost, animals had increased neutralizing antibody responses across all variants of concern, which was sustained for at least eight weeks post-boost.

[Nature Neuroscience] In brains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected individuals and animal models, scientists found an increased number of empty basement membrane tubes, so-called string vessels representing remnants of lost capillaries.