Despite considerable progress in the development of immunocompetent mouse models using different high end technologies, most available small animal models for HCV study are unsuitable for challenge experiments, which are vital for vaccine development, as they fail to measure the T cell response in liver. A recently developed intra-hepatic challenge model results in HCV antigen expression in mouse hepatocytes and through the detection of the surrogate marker, SEAP, in serum, the effect of prior vaccination can be monitored longitudinally.
Keywords: C virus; Hepatitis HCV Vaccine; Rag 2, Recombination activating gene 2; SCID, severe combined immunodeficiency; SEAP, secreted alkaline phosphatase; mouse challenge models; uPA, urokinase-type plasminogen activator.