Scale bar 5M. from our antibody-based probe could differentiate whole lungs of macaques infected for 9 days from those infected for 2 or 3 days. Additionally, the probe transmission corroborated the frequency and density of infected cells in individual tissue blocks from infected macaques. These results provide proof of concept for the use of antibody-based probes to study SARS-CoV-2 contamination dynamics in rhesus macaques. is needed to study these spatiotemporal dynamics. The rhesus macaque (probes. Antibody-based probes can facilitate tracking of viral spread in an unbiased manner and uncover new anatomical sites of viral replication. These probes rely on an immunoglobulin G (IgG) targeting a specific protein of interest that is chemically modified to allow tracking and detection of the probe. Antibody-based probes can be labeled with radioisotopes detected using positron emission tomography (PET) or with fluorescent dyes detected through optical imaging. These techniques have been used for many years to image cancerous cells and biological processes, but only more recently have they been applied to study pathogens (25C34). Studies of fungi, bacteria, and even parasites have been undertaken using pathogen specific antibodies as probes to study the distribution and kinetics of contamination (35C39). In addition, we as well as others have used imaging of antibody probes to study the dynamics of viral contamination (40C42). However, unlike the pathogens mentioned above, viruses hijack the machinery of the R935788 (Fostamatinib disodium, R788) cells they infect to replicate; this prospects to viral proteins being expressed by Rabbit polyclonal to TLE4 infected cells. We can exploit this mechanism by using antibodies against viral proteins to uncover the location of infected cells Probe Screening in 293T Cells 293T cells were transfected with a plasmid expressing the spike protein of the WA1 strain of SARS-CoV-2 (a gift from Tom Gallagher at Loyola University or college) using polyethyleneimine (Fisher Scientific, #AC1785710000). Twenty-four hours after transfection new media was added to the cells that contained the fluorescently labeled CR3022-F(ab)2. Twenty-four hours after addition of the CR3022-F(ab)2 the cells were fixed and stained with a rabbit anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody (Sino Biological, #40150-R007) and Hoechst (1:25,000, Thermo-Fisher). The cells were imaged using a DeltaVision inverted light microscope and images were analyzed using softWoRx software (Applied Precision). Probe Screening in Human Airway Epithelial Cultures Human airway epithelium (HAE) cultures were produced according to previously established methods (44, 45). Briefly, main bronchial epithelial cells from a single donor R935788 (Fostamatinib disodium, R788) (#CC2540S, Lonza, Switzerland) were differentiated at an air-liquid interface in Pneumacult ALI medium (#05001, Stemcell Technologies, Canada) for at least 4 weeks. Differentiation was assessed by observation of ciliary motion and elevated transepithelial electrical resistance; cultures were used for experiments within 2 months of differentiation. HAE cultures were infected with SARS-CoV-2 WA1 at R935788 (Fostamatinib disodium, R788) a multiplicity of contamination (MOI = 1), as explained previously, leaving the apical surface exposed to air flow after removal of the viral inoculum (45). Forty-eight hours after contamination, CR3022-F(ab)2-Cy3 was applied at 0.01 mg/mL (approximating macaque serum concentration) to the basolateral surface in media. At 72 hours post contamination, cultures were fixed in 5% formaldehyde for 4 hours, then frozen in optimal cutting heat (OCT) medium and sectioned for analysis by microscopy. Tissue sections were stained with a mouse-human chimeric anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody (#40150-D003, Sino Biological, China) and Hoechst (1:25,000, Thermo-Fisher, USA). Experiments with SARS-CoV-2 were performed in a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) laboratory under the approval of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute Biosafety Committee. R935788 (Fostamatinib disodium, R788) Animals A total of five rhesus macaques (intratracheal/intranasal instillation (1mL intratracheal, 500L per each nare), as previously explained (17, 18). A single animal was left uninfected to serve as a na?ve control. 24 hours prior to necropsy all five animals were infused intravenously (i.v.) with 0.5 mg/kg of CR3022-F(ab)2 probe fluorescently labeled with Cy3, Cy5, or AF647. The uninfected control animal was infused with 0.5 mg/kg of each Cy3 and Cy5 labeled probe for a total of 1 mg/kg. Animals housed at TNPRC experienced nasal and pharyngeal swabs taken on days 1, 2, 3, 5 and at necropsy and experienced bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) performed on days 1, 3, and at necropsy. All infected animals were necropsied 2- (LP86), 3- (DGD8) or 9-days (KF89 and LM30) p.i. At necropsy, all tissues were placed into 10% neutral buffered formalin for at least 72 hours before being removed.