Optimizing the dengue virus infection mouse model: Comparing different backgrounds and infection route for enhanced...

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Global dengue fever incidence is rising, necessitating improved research models.
• Existing interferon receptor knockout mouse models partially replicate human dengue virus (DENV) infection.
• Further optimization of DENV mouse models is crucial for advancing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a stable and optimized dengue virus infection model.
• To evaluate the impact of genetic background and injection routes on DENV infection in mice.
• To identify the most effective method for inducing severe DENV infection in a mouse model.

Main Methods:

• Screening of various interferon receptor-deficient mouse strains for DENV susceptibility.
• Comparative analysis of clinical symptoms, viremia, organ indices, histopathology, and vascular leakage.
• Investigating the effects of different DENV injection routes (e.g., intraperitoneal) in the most susceptible mouse strain.

Main Results:

• BALB/c mice with type 1 interferon receptor knockout (IFNAR-/-) exhibited the most pronounced dengue symptoms.
• Intraperitoneal injection in IFNAR-/- BALB/c mice led to the most severe clinical signs.
• This group also showed the longest viremia duration and significant organ damage.

Conclusions:

• A robust dengue virus infection model was successfully established using intraperitoneal injection in IFNAR-/- BALB/c mice.
• This optimized model provides a valuable tool for future dengue virus research.
• The findings facilitate further studies into DENV pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies.