Coronavirus caused greater illness in aged, obese and diabetic mice
Experiments in aged, obese and diabetic mice found persistent lung infection and intestinal and metabolic disruption after infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.
Limit: The abstract omits sample sizes and comparison-group details
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In animal experiments, aged, obese and diabetic mice developed greater illness, persistent lung infection, and intestinal and metabolic disruption after infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The researchers also studied obese-diabetic mice lacking angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, a protein the virus uses to enter cells. These mice had abnormalities affecting the heart and blood vessels, intestines, metabolism and behavior.
The researchers observed loss of this protein in organs from people with COVID-19 and in virus-infected cells. They concluded that metabolic disease modified susceptibility to the virus. The findings also supported disruption associated with this protein as one contributor to some consequences of infection.
Why it matters
The experiments address how aging and metabolic disease may shape vulnerability to infection and its effects beyond the lungs.
Caveats
The main infection findings came from mouse experiments, which do not establish the same effects in people. The abstract gives no sample sizes or comparison-group details.
The paper
JACC Basic to Translational Science, Oct 2026, Open access
