An immunocompetent mouse model for the tolerance of human chronic hepatitis B virus infection

LR Huang, HL Wu, PJ Chen… - Proceedings of the …, 2006 - National Acad Sciences
LR Huang, HL Wu, PJ Chen, DS Chen
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2006National Acad Sciences
An animal model for human hepatitis B virus (HBV) tolerance is needed to investigate the
mechanisms. This model will also facilitate therapeutic strategies for the existing 350 million
patients with chronic hepatitis B. We established a mouse model by hydrodynamic injection
of an engineered, replication-competent HBV DNA into the tail veins of C57BL/6 mice. In
40% of the injected mice, HBV surface antigenemia persisted for> 6 months. Viral replication
intermediates, transcripts, and proteins were detected in the liver tissues of the injected mice …
An animal model for human hepatitis B virus (HBV) tolerance is needed to investigate the mechanisms. This model will also facilitate therapeutic strategies for the existing 350 million patients with chronic hepatitis B. We established a mouse model by hydrodynamic injection of an engineered, replication-competent HBV DNA into the tail veins of C57BL/6 mice. In 40% of the injected mice, HBV surface antigenemia persisted for >6 months. Viral replication intermediates, transcripts, and proteins were detected in the liver tissues of the injected mice for up to 1 year. The tolerance toward HBV surface antigen in this model was shown to be due to an insufficient cellular immunity against hepatitis B core antigen, as was documented in humans. This animal model will accelerate further genetic and mechanistic studies of human chronic hepatitis B infection.
National Acad Sciences