A potential ex vivo infection model of human induced pluripotent stem cell-3D organoids beyond coronavirus disease 2019
Hang Zhou1, Li-Ping Liu1, Mei Fang1, Yu-Mei Li1 and Yun-Wen Zheng1,2,3,4,5
1Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China, 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 3School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 4Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan and 5School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, Guandong, P.R. China
Offprint requests to: Yun-Wen Zheng, PhD, University of Tsukuba, Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan. e-mail: ywzheng@md.tsukuba.ac.jp or Yu-Mei Li, MD, PhD, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, No.438 Jiefang Rd, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, China. e-mail: yumeili@ujs.edu.cn
Summary. The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak began in the city of Wuhan, whereupon it rapidly spread throughout China and subsequently across the world. Rapid transmission of COVID-19 has caused wide-spread panic. Many established medications have been used to treat the disease symptoms; however, no specific drugs or vaccines have been developed. Organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may serve as suitable infection models for ex vivo mimicking of the viral life cycle and drug screening. Human iPSC-3D organoids, self-organised tissues with multiple cell environments, have a similar structure and function as real human organs; hence, these organoids allow greater viral infection efficiency, mimic the natural host-virus interactions, and are suitable for long-term experimentation. Here, we suggest the use of a functional human iPSC-organoid that could act as a reliable and feasible ex vivo infection model for investigation of the virus. This approach will provide much needed insight into the underlying molecular dynamics of COVID-19 for the development of novel treatment and prevention strategies. Histol Histopathol 35, 1077-1082 (2020)
Key words: COVID-19, Human induced pluripotent stem cells, Organoids, Disease model, 3D
DOI: 10.14670/HH-18-223