First mouse model with complete, functional human immune system

Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have developed the first mouse model with a complete and functional human immune system. Led by Dr. Paolo Casali, the team created the humanized mouse, named TruHuX (THX), by injecting human stem cells from umbilical cord blood into immunodeficient mice and hormonally conditioning them with estrogen. The THX mice exhibit a fully developed human immune system, including specific antibody responses to pathogens like Salmonella and SARS-CoV-2. This breakthrough opens new avenues for immunotherapy development, disease modeling, and vaccine testing. The model could potentially replace the use of non-human primates in biomedical research. Dr. Casali's team is now studying the THX mice's response to SARS-CoV-2 at different levels and investigating factors influencing the generation of human plasma cells that produce antibodies. The research, published in Nature Immunology, highlights the potential of the THX model for advancing human immune system studies and therapeutic development.