Severe combined immunodeficient SCID mice

The limitations of the primate or cat models of human HIV-1 CNS infection include the costs, special facility requirements, the necessity of using mixtures of viral strains (in order to develop reproducible CNS infection), and the relatively small numbers of animals studied that preclude meaningful statistical analyses. These obstacles have urged researchers to develop small animal models. Several rodent models were established including transgenic mice (expressing viral proteins or relevant inflammatory factors seen in HAD), mice infected primarily with murine retroviruses, or severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice inoculated intracerebrally with human HIV-1 infected macrophages and reconstituted with human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). 

Serpe CJ, Kohm AP, Huppenbauer CB, Sanders VM, Jones KJ (1999) Exacerbation of facial motoneuron loss after facial nerve transection in severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice. J Neurosci 9 RC7. 

Hayashi, T., M. Ozaki, I. Mori, M. Saito, T. Mitoh, and H. Yamamoto. 1992. Enhanced clearance of lactic dehydrogenase-5 in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice Effect of lactic dehydrogenase on enzyme clearance. International Journal of Experimental Pathology 73 173-181. 

L0vik M. The SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mouse—its biology and use in immunotoxicological research. Arch Toxicol 1995 (Suppl 17) 455-467. 

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