Mice lacking key immune component still control chronic
viral infections

post from Science Blog - on 26 May 2006 08:00:20 PM. © Science Blog -

Despite lack of a key component of the immune system, a line of genetically engineered mice can control chronic herpes virus infections, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found. Scientists can't prove it yet, but they suspect the missing immune system component, a group of molecules known as the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class Ia, has a previously unrecognized backup that is similar enough to step in and fill the void left by its absence. If so, that backup may become a new focus for efforts to design antiviral vaccines.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/mice-lacking-key-immune-component-still-control-ch
ronic-viral-infections-10682.html