# A Bioluminescent Imaging Mouse Model for Seasonal Influenza Virus Infection Based on a Pseudovirus System

## TL;DR

Researchers created a safer mouse model using pseudoviruses to study influenza and test vaccines without using live viruses.

## Contribution

A novel pseudovirus-based bioluminescent imaging mouse model for safer influenza vaccine evaluation is introduced.

## Key findings

- The pseudovirus model allows real-time monitoring of viral load and distribution in mice.
- The model effectively evaluates vaccine protective efficacy and cross-validates results with live virus models.
- This system provides a safer alternative to traditional live influenza virus models for vaccine testing.

## Abstract

Influenza (flu) is a highly prevalent respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, representing a significant global health burden due to its substantial morbidity and mortality rate. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy for influenza prevention, and well-characterized animal models of influenza infection serve as essential tools for evaluating vaccine protective efficacy. However, animal models utilizing live influenza virus strains pose significant biosafety concerns, and many such strains are not readily available for research. To address these challenges, we established a novel visual mouse infection model using an HIV-based vector system. This model employs influenza pseudoviruses carrying a luciferase reporter gene, enabling real-time monitoring of viral load and in vivo tracking of viral distribution during infection. Using this infection model, we assessed the in vivo protective efficacy of an influenza vaccine and cross-validated the pseudovirus-based evaluation results against a live virus-infected mouse model. Our study thus establishes a safer and more convenient platform for evaluating influenza vaccine efficacy, including the assessment of broad-spectrum neutralization capacity.