title: Comparative pathology of rhesus macaque and common marmoset animal models with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
abstract: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which is caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (CoV), has recently emerged. It causes severe viral pneumonia and is associated with a high fatality rate. However, the pathogenesis, comparative pathology and inflammatory cell response of rhesus macaques and common marmosets experimentally infected with MERS-CoV are unknown. We describe the histopathological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings from rhesus macaque and common marmoset animal models of MERS-CoV infection. The main histopathological findings in the lungs of rhesus macaques and common marmosets were varying degrees of pulmonary lesions, including pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, haemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis of the pneumocytes and bronchial epithelial cells, and inflammatory cell infiltration. The characteristic inflammatory cells in the lungs of rhesus macaques and common marmosets were eosinophils and neutrophils, respectively. Based on these observations, the lungs of rhesus macaques and common marmosets appeared to develop chronic and acute pneumonia, respectively. MERS-CoV antigens and viral RNA were identified in type I and II pneumocytes, alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells, and ultrastructural observations showed that viral protein was found in type II pneumocytes and inflammatory cells in both species. Correspondingly, the entry receptor DDP4 was found in type I and II pneumocytes, bronchial epithelial cells, and alveolar macrophages. The rhesus macaque and common marmoset animal models of MERS-CoV can be used as a tool to mimic the oncome of MERS-CoV infections in humans. These models can help to provide a better understanding of the pathogenic process of this virus and to develop effective medications and prophylactic treatments.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuhuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Ministry of Health, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases, Beijing, China.|Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 5 Panjiayuan Nanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007249:Inflammation; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013045:Species Specificity; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral