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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Induction of Drug-Induced, Autoimmune Hepatitis in BALB/c Mice for the Study of Its Pathogenic Mechanisms
Published on: May 29, 2020
Successful Establishment of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Pregnant BALB/c Mice
Chenchen Yang1, Xianhui Hao2, Yunlong Li3
1Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China. yangchenchen0329@163.com.
Abstract:
Worldwide, the Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the main pathogen of acute viral hepatitis, with an extremely high mortality in pregnant women. However, the pathogenesis of HEV infection in pregnant women remains largely unknown. We established an HEV-infected pregnant mice animal model to explore the adverse pregnancy outcomes of HEV infection. Mice were infected with HEV in their early, middle and late stages of pregnancy. HEV RNA was detected in the tissues (liver, spleen, kidney, colon, uterus and placenta) of pregnant mice. HEV antigens were also detected in these tissues of HEV-infected pregnant mice. Miscarriages (7/8, 87.5%) occurred in pregnant mice infected with HEV in the middle of pregnancy. Th1-biased immune status was found in these aborted mice. Vertical transmission was confirmed by HEV replication in the uterus and placenta, as well as in the positive HEV RNA and HEV antigen positive in fetal livers. The successful establishment of HEV infection in pregnant mice is beneficial for further study of HEV pathogenesis, especially the adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by HEV infection.
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