Engineering a mouse-adapted SADS-CoV and establishing a neonatal mouse model to study its infection

ABSTRACT Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) is an emerging bat-origin alphacoronavirus causing severe disease in neonatal piglets, with significant economic losses to the swine industry. The virus exhibits a broad species tropism, infecting cells derived from pigs, humans, and mice, highlighting its potential for cross-species transmission. Due to drawbacks associated with the use of young piglets, there is a need for an appropriate small animal model to study SADS-CoV biology. Here we established a mouse infection model based on a murinized mutant of the virus, mSADS-CoV, in which the ectodomain of the viral spike protein was replaced by that of the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus. This chimeric virus, generated through targeted RNA recombination, replicated efficiently in murine cell cultures and exhibited an age-dependent infection in neonatal mice that was lethal in 2-day-old BALB/c mice, affecting various organs, notably the intestine. We validated our infection model by successfully verifying the efficacy of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor remdesivir. The model will serve as a valuable tool for studying SADS-CoV pathogenesis and for elucidating the roles of host factors in viral replication as well as for preclinical evaluation of antiviral compounds targeting the viral replication machinery. IMPORTANCE Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) poses a threat to the swine industry and public health because of its broad species tropism and potential for cross-species transmission. The emergence of other bat-derived coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, underscores the need for robust models to study these pathogens. The successful rescue of mSADS-CoV and the development of a mouse infection model represent significant advancements in SADS-CoV research. This model not only enables the evaluation of antiviral therapeutics such as remdesivir but also provides a powerful platform for investigating viral replication mechanisms and host–pathogen interactions, offering critical insights for pandemic preparedness.