Fig. 3: Grand-paternal SARS-CoV-2 infection has little impact on the behavioral parameters measured.
Grand-paternal SARS-CoV-2 has no impact on (A) % time spent in the light zone of the light-dark box (n = 12), (B) number of entries into the light zone (n = 12), (C) the latency to enter the light zone (n = 12), (D) % time spent in the centre of the open-field (n = 12), (E) overall anxiety behavioral z-scores (n = 12), (F) the total distance traveled in the open-field (n = 12), (G) the recognition index in trial 2 of the novel-object recognition test (n = 12), (H) % preference for sucrose in the sucrose-preference test (n = 12 CON M, n = 12 CON F, n = 12 GP.SARS M, n = 11 GP.SARS F), and (I) latency to feed in the novelty-suppressed feeding test (n = 12). Grand-paternal SARS-CoV-2 significantly affects (J) depression behavioral z-scores (n = 12), without affecting (K) whole brain weight (n = 4 CON M, n = 6 CON F, n = 6 GP.SARS M, n = 6 GP.SARS F) for the F2 grand-offspring. Grand-paternal SARS-CoV-2 did not significantly alter (L) F2 plasma IL-6 levels at 2-h post-Poly I:C injection (12 mg/kg)(n = 6)(P values from left to right: P = 0.005, P = 0.0048, P = 0.0221, P = 0.0068, general linear model with Bonferroni correction). Data presented as mean ± SEM. General linear models and linear mixed models were used with post-hoc analyses where appropriate (Bonferroni-Holm corrected) except for (I). Cox regression with proportional hazards was used to analyse (I). Each n number refers to the number of individual animals per group. PGrandpaternal Treatment x sex = interaction effect of grand-paternal treatment by sex.*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.
