Quantitative proteomics of hamster lung tissues infected with SARS-CoV-2 reveal host-factors having implication in the disease pathogenesis and severity

COVID-19 or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), appeared first in Wuhan, Hubei, China, has emerged as a global health concern claiming millions of lives worldwide. Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) has emerged as a suitable model as when infected by SARS-CoV-2, manifests lung pathology resembling human COVID-19 patients. In this study, we employed a quantitative approach to study the proteomic changes in the SARS-CoV-2-infected lung tissue. The samples were analyzed using Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid mass spectrometer in triplicates and the data acquired was searched against Mesocricetus auratus protein database which resulted in the identification of nearly 2,000 non-redundant proteins. The outcome of this study will facilitate in discovery of potential candidate biomarkers for predicting disease course and warrants their further validation in human patient samples.