A Mouse Model for Testing Gammaherpesvirus Vaccines

Gammaherpesviruses are known for causing cancer and lifelong infections in humans. Unfortunately, there are no approved vaccines for major types like Epstein-Barr virus or Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Scientists often use a virus called murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) to study these infections in mice and test potential vaccines. Researchers created a vaccine using a modified version of MHV68 that can't replicate or cause disease. This vaccine, called RDV-50. stop, protected mice from getting sick when exposed to the real virus. To make the vaccine even better, they removed some genes that help MHV68 hide in the body. Mice vaccinated with this improved version, RDV-50. stopΔM1-M4, developed strong immune responses. When these mice were later exposed to the real virus, they hardly got infected. This shows that the genes removed aren't necessary for triggering a protective immune response.