RNA-seq of coronavirus infected and treated mouse lungs

An infection with SARS-CoV-2 can be symptomatic or asymptomatic depending on the respective activation of the immune system. We used the bacterial extract Broncho Vaxom (BV) to preactivate the immune system before a coronavirus infection using the murine coronavirus MHV A59 in a mouse model. The activation of the immune system led to a reduction in viral load and protected lung tissue from enhanced cell apoptosis. Using RNA sequencing we were able to demonstrate that lung tissue from mice receiving BV resembled an intermediate state between infected and healthy tissue. On a cellular level, treatment with BV enhanced alveolar and interstitial macrophages in the lung. We were able to phenocopy the effect of BV by transplanting naïve lung macrophages into recipient mice thereby enhancing the local cellular amount before infection. We conclude that recruitment and preactivation of the innate immune system by the bacterial extract BV is beneficial during a coronavirus infection. RNA-seq of middle, right lobe of 5 healthy mice, 5 infected control mice at day 4, and 5 infected and treated mice at day 4