Intranasal type I interferon treatment is beneficial only when administered before clinical signs onset in the SARS-CoV-2 hamster model

Pierre Bessière (1) , Marine Wasniewski (2) , Evelyne Picard-Meyer (2) , Alexandre Servat (2) , Thomas Figueroa (1) , Charlotte Foret-Lucas (1) , Amelia Coggon (1) , Sandrine Lesellier (2) , Frank Boué (2) , Nathan Cebron (1) , Blandine Gausserès (1) , Catherine Trumel (3) , Gilles Foucras (1) , Francisco J Salguero (4) , Elodie Monchatre-Leroy (2) , Romain Volmer (1)

1 IHAP - Interactions hôtes-agents pathogènes [Toulouse]
2 LRFSN - Laboratoire de la rage et de la faune sauvage de Nancy
3 CREFRE - Centre Régional d'Exploration Fonctionnelle et Ressources Expérimentales
4 PHE - Public Health England [Salisbury]

Abstract Impaired type I interferons (IFNs) production or signaling have been associated with severe COVID-19, further promoting the evaluation of recombinant type I IFNs as therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the Syrian hamster model, we show that intranasal administration of IFN-α starting one day pre-infection or one day post-infection limited weight loss and decreased viral lung titers. By contrast, intranasal administration of IFN-α starting at the onset of symptoms three days post-infection had no impact on the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results provide evidence that early type I IFN treatments are beneficial, while late interventions are ineffective, although not associated with signs of enhanced disease. One Sentence Summary The timing of type I interferon treatment is a critical determinant of its efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Virology; Veterinary medicine and animal Health

Pierre Bessière, Marine Wasniewski, Evelyne Picard-Meyer, Alexandre Servat, Thomas Figueroa, et al.. Intranasal type I interferon treatment is beneficial only when administered before clinical signs onset in the SARS-CoV-2 hamster model. 2021. ⟨anses-03387992⟩