Revisiting the Mongolian Gerbil Model for Hepatitis E Virus by Reverse Genetics
Ling-Dong Xu, Fei Zhang, Chu Chen, Lei Peng, Wen-Ting Luo, Ruiai Chen, Pinglong Xu, Yao‐Wei Huang
Abstract
HEV infects >20 million people annually, causing acute viral hepatitis as well as chronic hepatitis, neurological diseases, and pregnancy-associated high mortality, which require therapeutic intervention. The HEV antiviral research is largely limited by the lack of a convenient small animal model. Here we revisit the Mongolian gerbil model for three genotypes of human HEV by infectious HEV clones and recognized standards of experimental procedures. Fecal virus shedding, seroconversion, and pathological liver lesions could be detected in HEV-inoculated gerbils. We demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of this model in testing antiviral drugs, and in assessing the mechanism of host innate immune response upon HEV infection. This conventional rodent model will aid in future antiviral development and delineating mechanism of host immune response.