Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infect liver cells, and persistent infection can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and/or a form of liver cancer known as hepatocellular carcinoma. Over 4 million Americans have hepatitis C, many more are infected and do not know they have it. Current research using small animal models of HBV and HCV infection are not particularly good, and new models are needed if we are to learn more about how these viruses operate and test new potential therapeutics. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, have now developed a human liver chimeric mouse model by transplanting a large number of human liver cells into mice lacking three proteins (Fah, Rag2, and Il-2r-gamma) to generate mice with livers in which 95% of the liver cells are human. Of interest, these mice could be infected with HBV and HCV, and mice infected with HCV were responsive to antiviral therapy. This mouse model should prove useful not only for studying HBV and HCV infection and testing antiviral therapies but also for studying other infections microorganisms that target the liver.
If in fact an animal model works as describes here, the expanded use of animals in the research and development of new antiviral therapies will be a huge step forward in developing better therapies. While we have made great advances with the lates new agents for both HBV and HCV, the therapies, especially for hepatitis C, do have side effects.
Download the article HCV Mice and theEditorial Mice here.
What do you think?
Hello, my name is Camila González Parra. Currently, I study medicine in the Universidad Católica del Maule in Talca, Chile.
I've always interested in the liver. In my opinion it’s a exceptional organ and your blog is a very good site for be informed about new investigations and discoveries in this area. I think that your blog is a very good information source to everybody because it gives us the information with simple terms and it educate to people about important topics such as the healthy habits and importance in prevention of liver disease.
I have been written in this post because I think that this progress should be known by everyone. This could bring huge implications, because it will allow to prove new treatments in animals and see the effects that this will have on human beings.
I appreciate your dedication in maintain actualized this site. It is certainly a big contribution to the web.
Thank you for your time and I’m waiting your answer.
Posted by: Camila | December 19, 2010 at 02:01 PM