Use of Hu-PBL Mice to Study Pathogenesis of Human-Restricted Viruses

Different humanized mouse models have been developed to study human diseases such as autoimmune illnesses, cancer and viral infections. These models are based on the use of immunodeficient mouse strains that are transplanted with human tissues or human immune cells. Among the latter, mice transplanted with hematopoietic stem cells have been widely used to study human infectious diseases. However, mouse models built upon the transplantation of donor-specific mature immune cells are still under development, especially in the field of viral infections. These models can retain the unique immune memory of the donor, making them suitable for the study of correlates of protection upon natural infection or vaccination. Here, we will review some of these models and how they have been applied to virology research. Moreover, the future applications and the potential of these models to design therapies against human viral infections are discussed.

Automated summary

Various humanized mouse models have been developed for studying autoimmune diseases, cancer, and viral infections. These models involve transplanting human tissues or immune cells into immunodeficient mice. While mouse models with transplanted hematopoietic stem cells have been widely used to study infectious diseases, models with transplanted donor-specific mature immune cells are still being developed, particularly in the field of viral infections. These models can retain unique immune memory and are suitable for studying protection against natural infection or vaccination. In this review, we discuss these models and their application to virology research, as well as their potential for designing therapies against human viral infections.