Bronchoalveolar lavage affects thorax computed tomography of healthy and SARS-CoV-2 infected rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

  1. Annemiek Maaskant
  2. Lisette Meijer
  3. Zahra Fagrouch
  4. Jaco Bakker
  5. Leo van Geest
  6. Dian G. M. Zijlmans
  7. Babs E. Verstrepen
  8. Jan A. M. Langermans
  9. Ernst J. Verschoor
  10. Marieke A. Stammes

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Abstract

Medical imaging as method to assess the longitudinal process of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in non-human primates is commonly used in research settings. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is regularly used to determine the local virus production and immune effects of SARS-CoV-2 in the lower respiratory tract. However, the potential interference of those two diagnostic modalities is unknown in non-human primates. The current study investigated the effect and duration of BAL on computed tomography (CT) in both healthy and experimentally SARS-CoV-2-infected female rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ). In addition, the effect of subsequent BALs was reviewed. Thorax CTs and BALs were obtained from four healthy animals and 11 experimentally SARS-CoV-2-infected animals. From all animals, CTs were obtained just before BAL, and 24 hours post-BAL. Additionally, from the healthy animals, CTs immediately after, and four hours post-BAL were obtained. Thorax CTs were evaluated for alterations in lung density, measured in Hounsfield units, and a visual semi-quantitative scoring system. An increase in the lung density was observed on the immediately post-BAL CT but resolved within 24 hours in the healthy animals. In the infected animals, a significant difference in both the lung density and CT score was still found 24 hours after BAL. Furthermore, the differences between time points in CT score were increased for the second BAL. These results indicate that the effect of BAL on infected lungs is not resolved within the first 24 hours. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the interference between BAL and CT in rhesus macaques.

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  1. Version published to 10.1371/journal.pone.0252941
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    SciScore for 10.1101/2021.02.04.429761: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: The study was performed under a project license issued by the Competent Authorities (Central Committee for Animal experiments, license no. AVD5020020209404).
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variableAll animals were of Indian origin, female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), purpose bred at the BPRC.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    BPRC is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International.
    BPRC
    suggested: None

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  3. Version published to 10.1101/2021.02.04.429761v1 on bioRxiv