Mouse models for studying HCV vaccines and therapeutic antibodies

In spite of the immense progress in hepatitis C virus (HCV) research, efforts to prevent infection, such as generating a vaccine, have not yet been successful. The high price tag associated with current treatment options for chronic infection and the spike in new infections concurrent with growing opioid abuse are strong motivators for developing effective immunization and understanding neutralizing antibodies’ role in preventing infection. Humanized mice—both human liver chimeras as well as genetically humanized models—are important platforms for testing both possible vaccine candidates as well as antibody-based therapies. This chapter details the variety of ways humanized mouse technology can be employed in pursuit of learning how HCV infection can be prevented.