Immunocompetent and Immunodeficient Mouse Models for Enterovirus 71 Pathogenesis and Therapy

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Pathogenesis research

Background:

• Enterovirus 71 (EV71) poses a global health threat, causing severe diseases like hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) and encephalitis in children.
• Currently, no effective treatments exist for EV71 infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and evaluate various mouse models used for studying Enterovirus 71 pathogenesis.
• To assess the utility of these models in the development of EV71 antiviral therapies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of studies utilizing mouse-adapted EV71 strains and recent studies employing clinical isolates without adaptation.
• Examination of transgenic mouse models expressing human EV71 receptors (e.g., SCARB2) and immunodeficient models.
• Evaluation of a novel hybrid mouse model generated by crossbreeding SCARB2 transgenic and stat1 knockout mice.

Main Results:

• Mouse models have evolved from using adapted strains to employing clinical isolates for more relevant pathogenesis studies.
• Transgenic and immunodeficient models exhibit varying susceptibility to EV71, with limitations in oral infection efficacy.
• A hybrid SCARB2/stat1 knockout mouse model demonstrates increased sensitivity, earlier onset of disease, and higher mortality, proving user-friendly for research.

Conclusions:

• Various mouse models, including a novel hybrid model, are essential tools for understanding EV71 pathogenesis and evaluating antiviral drug efficacy.
• These models allow for the investigation of different immune system components in response to EV71 infection.
• Continued development and application of these models are critical for advancing EV71 antiviral research and combating this global health threat.