Current Advances in Humanized Mouse Models for Studying NK Cells and HIV Infection

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected millions of people worldwide and continues to be a major global health problem. Scientists required a small animal model to study HIV pathogenesis and immune responses. To this end, humanized mice were created by transplanting human cells and/or tissues into immunodeficient mice to reconstitute a human immune system. Thus, humanized mice have become a critical animal model for HIV researchers, but with some limitations. Current conventional humanized mice are prone to death by graft versus host disease induced by the mouse signal regulatory protein a and CD47 signaling pathway. In addition, commonly used humanized mice generate low levels of human cytokines required for robust myeloid and natural killer cell development and function. Here, we describe recent advances in humanization procedures and transgenic and knock-in immunodeficient mice to address these limitations.

Automated summary

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has caused a widespread global health crisis, and there is a need for a suitable animal model to study its pathogenesis and immune responses. Humanized mice were created by transplanting human cells and/or tissues into immunodeficient mice to mimic a human immune system. Despite their importance as a model, current humanized mice have limitations such as susceptibility to graft versus host disease and inadequate levels of human cytokines. This article discusses recent advances in humanization procedures and genetically modified immunodeficient mice to overcome these limitations.