Novel Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus (WHV) transgene mouse models show sex-dependent WHV replicative activity and development of spontaneous immune responses to WHV proteins.

ABSTRACT: The woodchuck model is an informative model for studies on hepadnaviral infection. In this study, woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) transgenic (Tg) mouse models based on C57BL/6 mice were established to study the pathogenesis associated with hepadnaviral infection. Two lineages of WHV Tg mice, harboring the WHV wild-type genome (lineage 1217) and a mutated WHV genome lacking surface antigen (lineage 1281), were generated. WHV replication intermediates were detected by Southern blotting. DNA vaccines against WHV proteins were applied by intramuscular injection. WHV-specific immune responses were analyzed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The presence of WHV transgenes resulted in liver-specific but sex- and age-dependent WHV replication in Tg mice. Pathologica

SUBMITTER: Meng Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3911616 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature