Viruses teaching immunology: Role of LCMV model and human viral infections in immunological discoveries

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Mohamed Abdel Hakeem, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-01-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2019 by the author.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v11020106
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Viruses
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Grant/Funding Information: M.S.A. is a Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Irvington Postdoctoral Fellow, Fonds de Recherche Québec -Santé (FRQS) Postdoctoral Fellow, and Canadian Hepatitis C Network (CanHepC) Postdoctoral Fellow.
• Keywords: checkpoint blockade; Mice; tetramer; immunotherapy; T-Lymphocytes; Clinical Trials as Topic; Mutation; Major Histocompatibility Complex; HIV; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; T cell exhaustion; Animals; Immunotherapy; Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis; Humans; LCMV; Disease Models, Animal; MHC restriction; HCV; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Cell

Abstract

Virology has played an essential role in deciphering many immunological phenomena, thus shaping our current understanding of the immune system. Animal models of viral infection and human viral infections were both important tools for immunological discoveries. This review discusses two immunological breakthroughs originally identified with the help of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model; immunological restriction by major histocompatibility complex and immunotherapy using checkpoint blockade. In addition, we discuss related discoveries such as development of tetramers, viral escape mutation, and the phenomenon of T-cell exhaustion.