SARS-CoV-2 infection causes hyperglycaemia in cats

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yufei, Gao, Jindong, Huang, Kun, Zhao, Ya, Hui, Xianfeng, Wang, Ting, Hu, Changmin, Sun, Xiaomei, Yang, Ying, Wu, Chao, Chen, Xi, Zou, Zhong, Zhao, Lian zong, Jin, Meilin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 20.04.2022
• Subjects: Major
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac143

Isolated reports of new-onset diabetes in patients with COVID-19 have led researchers to hypothesise that SARS-CoV-2 infects the human exocrine and endocrine pancreatic cells ex vivo and in vivo. However, existing research lacks experimental evidence indicating that SARS-CoV-2 can infect pancreatic tissue. Here, we found that cats infected with a high dose of SARS-CoV-2 exhibited hyperglycaemia. We also detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the pancreatic tissues of these cats, and immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NP) in the islet cells. SARS-CoV-2 NP and Spike proteins were primarily detected in Glu+ cells, and most Glu+ cells expressed ACE2. Additionally, immune protection experiments conducted on cats showed that the blood glucose levels of immunised cats did not increase post-challenge. Our data indicate the cat pancreas as a SARS-CoV-2 target and suggest that the infection of Glu+ cells could contribute to the metabolic dysregulation observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cats.