Establishment of a Porcine Small Intestinal Organoid Model for Porcine Rotavirus Infection

Abstract

Simple Summary Studying porcine rotavirus and developing effective interventions can be challenging without a reliable laboratory model that mimics a pig’s gut. We developed a novel culture system by growing miniature, simplified versions of the pig small intestine, called organoids, from neonatal piglet tissue. We successfully infected these organoids with porcine rotavirus and observed that the virus replicated efficiently. Infected organoids also showed an increased production of key inflammatory signals, mirroring a real infection. This new model provides a physiologically relevant tool, allowing researchers to study the virus’s disease mechanisms and test potential antiviral treatments without constantly relying on live animals.