Non-human primate model of long-COVID identifies immune associates of hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia, and exacerbation of pre-existing deficits in glucose metabolism, are manifestations of the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2. Our understanding of metabolic decline after acute COVID-19 remains unclear due to the lack of animal models. Here, we report a non-human primate model of metabolic post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 using SARS-CoV-2 infected African green monkeys. Using this model, we identify a dysregulated blood chemokine signature during acute COVID-19 that correlates with elevated and persistent hyperglycemia four months post-infection. Hyperglycemia also correlates with liver glycogen levels, but there is no evidence of substantial long-term SARS-CoV-2 replication in the liver and pancreas. Finally, we report a favorable glycemic effect of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine, administered on day 4 post-infection. Together, these data suggest that the African green monkey model exhibits important similarities to humans and can be utilized to assess therapeutic candidates to combat COVID-related metabolic defects.
Authors
- Prasun K. Datta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5133-253X)
- Linh Hellmers
- Tracy Fischer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4859-3776)
- Cecily C. Midkiff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9322-8730)
- Angela K. Birnbaum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3969-4906)
- Rafael Tibúrcio
- Jay Rappaport (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7916-3571)
- Jason Dufour (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6974-9316)
- Carys Kenway
- Ahmad Saied (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3944-7112)
- Kasi Russell‐Lodrigue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3719-0779)
- Chrysostomos Perdios (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6000-6373)
- Kristyn Moore Green (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4041-7885)
- Clovis S. Palmer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9822-4181)
- Robert V. Blair (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9616-9414)
- Gabrielle Lehmicke
- Kelsey Williams (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7640-2282)
- Carol Coyne
- Mohamed Abdel‐Mohsen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9945-4314)
- Nicholas J. Maness (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9332-7891)
- Marissa Fahlberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2597-7147)
- Nadia Golden (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4161-7181)
- Joseph C. Mudd
- Rudolf Bohm
- Kyndal Boykin
Institutions
- The Wistar Institute (US)
- Oregon National Primate Research Center (US)
- Tulane University (US)
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- University of San Francisco (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2024-08-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50339-4
- Citations
- 12
- Primary Topic
- Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.43
Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Office of Research Infrastructure Programs, National Institutes of Health