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Beineke, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Beineke, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Development of an ex vivo model to study the zoonotic transmission of noroviruses

Human noroviruses are the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis worldwide, causing sporadic cases and outbreaks. Genetically related animal noroviruses infect wild and domestic animals including pigs and dogs. To investigate the potential of noroviruses to jump the species barrier, we used porcine, canine, and avian precision-cut intestinal slices. We show that human norovirus can bind to pig and dog intestinal tissue and be taken up with a similar efficiency as the porcine and canine noroviruses, respectively. In contrast, no binding or internalization of human, porcine, or canine noroviruses was detected in chicken tissue. We further showed that human norovirus can replicate to some degree in pig intestinal tissue, infecting single cells. In contrast, while animal noroviruses attached to human intestinal cells, intracellular uptake was limited. This suggests that human-to-animal transmission is more likely than animal-to-human transmission and that viral uptake likely presents a species barrier.

microbiology↗

Hamsters are a model for COVID-19 alveolar regeneration mechanisms: an opportunity to understand post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2

A relevant number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors suffers from post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (PASC). Current evidence suggests a dysregulated alveolar regeneration in COVID-19 as a possible explanation for respiratory PASC symptoms, a phenomenon which deserves further investigation in a suitable animal model. This study investigates morphological, phenotypical and transcriptomic features of alveolar regeneration in SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian golden hamsters. We demonstrate that CK8+ alveolar differentiation intermediate (ADI) cells occur following SARS-CoV-2-induced diffuse alveolar damage. A subset of ADI cells shows nuclear accumulation of TP53 at 6- and 14-days post infection (dpi), indicating a prolonged arrest in the ADI state. Transcriptome data show the expression of gene signatures driving ADI cell senescence, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and angiogenesis. Moreover, we show that multipotent CK14+ airway basal cell progenitors migrate out of terminal bronchioles, aiding alveolar regeneration. At 14 dpi, presence of ADI cells, peribronchiolar proliferates, M2-type macrophages, and sub-pleural fibrosis is observed, indicating incomplete alveolar restoration. The results demonstrate that the hamster model reliably phenocopies indicators of a dysregulated alveolar regeneration of COVID-19 patients. The results provide important information on a translational COVID-19 model, which is crucial for its application in future research addressing pathomechanisms of PASC and in testing of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches for this syndrome.

pathology↗

De-novo variants in XIRP1 associated with polydactyly and polysyndactyly in Holstein cattle

Congenital polydactylous cattle are sporadically observed. Impairment of the limb patterning process due to altered control of the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) was associated in several species with preaxial polydactyly and syndactyly. In cattle, the role of ZPA and other genes involved in limb patterning for polydactyly was not yet elucidated. Herein, we report on a preaxial type II polydactyly and a praeaxial type II+V polysyndactyly in two Holstein calves and screen whole genome sequencing data for associated variants. Using whole genome sequencing data of both affected calves did not show mutations in the candidate regions of ZRS and pZRS or in candidate genes associated with polydactyly, syndactyly and polysyndactyly in other species. Two indels, which are located in XIRP1 within a common haplotype, were highly associated with the two phenotypes. Bioinformatic analyses retrieved an interaction between XIRP1 and FGFR1, CTNNB1 and CTNND1 supporting a link between the XIRP1 variants and embryonic limb patterning. The heterozygous haplotype was highly associated with the present polydactylous phenotypes due to dominant mode of inheritance with an incomplete penetrance in Holstein cattle.

genetics↗