Yong, K.S.M.; Her, Z.; Chen, Q. Humanized Mouse Models for the Study of Hepatitis C and Host Interactions. Cells 2019, 8, 604.
Abstract:
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is commonly attributed as a major cause of chronic hepatotropic diseases, such as, steatosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As HCV infects only humans and primates, its narrow host tropism hampers in vivo studies of HCV-mammalian host interactions and the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines. In this context, we will focus our discussion on humanized mice in HCV research. Here, these humanized mice are defined as animal models that encompass either only human hepatocytes or both human liver and immune cells. Aspects related to immunopathogenesis, anti-viral interventions, drug testing and perspectives of these models for future HCV research will be discussed.
License type:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Funding Info:
This work was supported by the following grants: National Research Foundation Fellowship Singapore NRF-NRFF2017-03 (Q. Chen.), National Research Foundation Singapore Competitive Research Programme NRF2016-CRP001-103 (Q. Chen), Eradication of HBV TCR Program: NMRC/TCR/014-NUHS/2015
and NMRC/OFLCG/003/2018 from National Medical Research Council, Singapore (Q. Chen) and EMULSION
programme H18/01/a0/017 Industry Alignment Fund Pre-positioning (IAF-PP) from A*STAR Singapore (Q. Chen).