• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on pregnancy in cytokeratin-18 (K18)-hACE2 transgenic mice. Methods: To determine the expression of hACE2 mRNA in the female reproductive tract of K18-hACE2 mice, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using the ovary, oviduct, uterus, umbilical cord, and placenta. SARS-CoV-2 was inoculated intranasally (30 μL/mouse, 1×10⁴ TCID₅₀/mL) to plug-checked K18-hACE2 homozygous female mice at the pre-and post-implantation stages at 2.5 days post-coitum (dpc) and 15.5 dpc, respectively. The number of implantation sites was checked at 7.5 dpc, and the number of normally born pups was investigated at 20.5 dpc. Pregnancy outcomes, including implantation and childbirth, were confirmed by comparison with the non-infected group. Tissues of infected mice were collected at 7.5 dpc and 19.5 dpc to confirm the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The infection was identified by performing RT-PCR on the infected tissues and comparing them to the non-infected tissues. Results: hACE2 mRNA expression was confirmed in the female reproductive tract of the K18-hACE2 mice. Compared to the non-infected group, no significant difference in the number of implantation sites or normally born pups was found in the infected group. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected in the lungs but not in the female reproductive system of infected K18-hACE2 mice. Conclusion: In K18-hACE2 mice, intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2 did not induce implantation failure, preterm labor, or miscarriage. Although the viral infection was not detected in the uterus, placenta, or fetus, the infection of the lungs could induce problems in the reproductive system. However, lung infections were not related to pregnancy outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 1972

Throughout the studies the following experimental results were obtained and summarized. 1. Treatment of MVE virus with acetone, Tween-ether and Tween-ether-protamine sulphate caused an eight to 16 fold increase in HA activity. 2. Treatment with acetone and Tween-ether resulted in a four fold increase in CF activity. Treatment with Tween-ether-protamine sulphate decreased the activity. 3. The crude virus showed a complete loss of infectivity after treatment with Tween-ether, but three log unit was, decreased with acetone treatment. 4. The HA activity of treated and crude virus was disappeared after heating at $37^{\circ}C$ for 60 minutes but CF activity was increased. 5. Tween-ether or acetone treatment equally applicable to the preparation of haemagglutinin for HI test. 6. Zonal centrifugation of crude virus in a linear ten to 60 percent sucrose gradient showed two peaks of CF activity, and one of high buoy ant density part accompanied by HA activity and infectivity and the other of lower density part. Acetone treatment brought a decrease of the high density CF activity but not affected the second peak of low density found with crude virus, and resulted in increased HA activity and decreased infectivity. The peaks of HA, CF and infectivity after acetone treatment were not clearly separated. Tween-ether treatment caused a loss of the peak of CF activity found in the area of high density with crude virus, but the peak in the area of low density was not affected. This peak of CF activity was separated from noninfectious HA activity. The HA and CF activities were considered to be contributed by different parts of the varion.