Development of a Bioluminescent Imaging Mouse Model for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Based on a Pseudovirus System

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), remains widely pandemic around the world. Animal models that are sensitive to virus therefore urgently needed evaluate potential vaccines and antiviral agents; however, SARS-CoV-2 requires biosafety level 3 containment. To overcome this, we developed an animal model using intranasal administration of pseudovirus. As pseudovirus contains firefly luciferase reporter gene, infected tissues viral load could be monitored in vivo bioluminescent imaging. We used protective efficacy monoclonal antibodies tissue tropism different variants. The may also a useful tool for safe convenient preliminary evaluation vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2, as well treatment anti-viral drugs.