Genetically-modified-animal models for human infections: the Listeria paradigm.
Several human pathogens exhibit a restricted host-tropism, relying on the species-specific interaction of microbial ligand(s) with host receptor(s). This specificity accounts for some of the difficulties in modeling human infections in animals. The discovery of L. monocytogenes host-specificity and elucidation of the underlying mechanism has led to the generation of transgenic mice expressing one of its human receptors, E-cadherin. This model is presented here as a paradigm of a genetically-modified-animal model for studying a human infectious disease.
Lecuit
Marc
M
Dept of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine Campus Box 8103, 660 So. Euclid Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. mlecuit@passteur.fr
Cossart
Pascale
P
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic