FIG 2.

SARS-CoV-2-infected male hamsters treated with estradiol (E2) developed similar lung pathology as placebo-treated males. Male hamsters were treated with E2 capsules or placebo capsules prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Estrogen levels were quantified in plasma at 7 dpi (A). Changes in body mass for E2- and placebo-treated males were quantified (B). (C) CT score shows no difference between E2-treated males and placebo-treated males. The dashed yellow lines indicate lung lesions (GGO, consolidations, and air bronchogram). (D) Histopathology (hematoxylin and eosin) data in representative SARS-CoV-2-infected placebo-treated male and E2-treated male hamster lungs at ×40 magnification are shown; scale bars, 20 μm. E2 concentrations are represented as mean ± standard error of the mean of two independent experiments (n = 11 to 12/group), and significance is denoted by an asterisk (*P < 0.05) based on two-tailed unpaired t test (A). Body mass data are represented as mean ± standard error of the mean of two independent experiments (n = 13/group) (B). Chest CT data are represented as median ± interquartile range (IQ) from two independent experiments (n = 13/group) (C).