Transfer of a functional human immune system to mice with severe combined immunodeficiency

摘要: The pressing need for a better experimental system AIDS research has brought into sharp focus the shortcomings of available animal models and practical ethical limitations studies immune responses viral pathogenesis in humans. Current human are limited to relatively restrictive vivo experiments several vitro systems that, although useful, allow only short-term support few antigens. Neither model is particularly amenable diseases system. We report here that injection peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) can result stable long-term reconstitution functional mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Human PBL transplanted SCID increase number survive at least six months; reconstituted show spontaneous secretion immunoglobulin specific antibody response induced following immunization tetanus toxoid. All major cell populations present found lymphoid tissue recipients, relative proportions B cells, T-cell subsets monocytes/macrophages recipients differ from those normal and, 50 x 10(6) or more Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-seropositive donors, EBV-positive B-cell lymphomas often develop. Our results suggest xenogeneic transplantation cells may provide useful study function, pathogenic agents early events lymphomagensis.