Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Transgenic mouse model”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effects of noninherited maternal antigens on allotransplant rejection in a transgenic mouse model.

We studied the influence of noninherited maternal antigen (NIMA) on allotransplant rejection using a mouse transgenic model. CBK transgenic (CBA [H-2k] expressing K(b) MHC class I transgene) mice were used as donors in heart transplantation experiments. Offspring of BM3.3 (CBA anti-K(b) TCR transgenic) male mice and (CBA x CBK)F1 females were used as NIMA (offspring that did not inherit K(b)) and IMA (offspring that inherited K(b) maternal antigen) recipient mice. Survival of allografts was monitored and the alloimmune response evaluated using an ELISPOT assay. IMA mice accepted CBK heart allografts and displayed no alloresponse to K(b+) cells. In contrast, mice never exposed to K(b) (offspring of BM3.3 males and CBA females) acutely rejected their grafts within 18 days posttransplantation and exhibited potent inflammatory alloresponses to K(b+) cells. NIMA mice displayed prolonged survival of allotransplants (MST >60 days). Although no deletion of anti-K(b) TCR transgenic cells was detected in these mice, they had a marked reduction in the frequency of activated alloreactive T cells producing type 1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2) cytokines and concomitant expansion of type 2 (IL-4) cytokine-secreting cells. Finally, depletion of CD4+ T cells from NIMA mice restored acute rejection of CBK hearts. This study is the first demonstration of the tolerogenic effects of NIMA on alloimmunity and allotransplant rejection in a transgenic model. It is shown that, although the NIMA tolerogenic effect is not due to deletion of alloreactive T cells, it is mediated by CD4+ T cells producing type 2 cytokines.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

In vivo monitoring of pancreatic beta-cells in a transgenic mouse model.

We generated a transgenic mouse model (RIP-luc) for the in vivo monitoring of pancreatic islet mass and function in response to metabolic disease. Using the rat insulin promoter fused to firefly luciferase, and noninvasive technology to detect luciferase activity, we tracked changes in reporter signal during metabolic disease states and correlated the changes in luciferase signal with metabolic status of the mouse. Transgene expression was found to be specific to the pancreatic islets in this transgenic model. Basal transgene expression was tracked in male and female mice fed either a chow or a high-fat diet and in response to treatment with streptozotocin. Pancreatic bioluminescent signal increased in mice fed a high-fat diet compared with chow-fed animals. In a model of chemically induced diabetes, the bioluminescent signal decreased in accordance with the onset of diabetes and reduction of islet beta-cell number. Preliminary studies using islets transplanted from this transgenic model suggest that in vivo image analysis can also be used to monitor transplanted islet viability and survival in the host. This transgenic model is a useful tool for in vivo studies of pancreatic beta-cells and as a donor for islet transplantation studies.

Animals↗

Reversible memory loss in a mouse transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition, believed to be irreversible, characterized by inexorable deterioration of memory and intellect, with neuronal loss accompanying amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. In an amyloid precursor protein transgenic mouse model, Tg2576, little or no neuronal loss accompanies age-related memory impairment or the accumulation of Abeta, a 40-42 aa polypeptide found in plaques. Recently, we have shown inverse correlations between brain Abeta and memory in Tg2576 mice stratified by age (Westerman et al., 2002). Broadening the age range examined obscured this relationship, leading us to propose that small, soluble assemblies of Abeta disrupt cognitive function in these mice. Here we show that memory loss can be fully reversed in Tg2576 mice using intraperitoneally administered BAM-10, a monoclonal antibody recognizing the N terminus of Abeta. The beneficial effect of BAM-10 was not associated with a significant Abeta reduction, but instead eliminated the inverse relationship between brain Abeta and memory. We postulate that BAM-10 acts by neutralizing Abeta assemblies in the brain that impair cognitive function. Our results indicate that a substantial portion of memory loss in Tg2576 mice is not permanent. If these Abeta assemblies contribute significantly to memory loss in AD, then successfully targeting them might improve memory in some AD patients.

Aging↗

Poliovirus attenuation and pathogenesis in a transgenic mouse model for poliomyelitis.

A transgenic mouse model for poliomyelitis has been used to study aspects of poliovirus attenuation and pathogenesis. Transgenic mice expressing the cell receptor for poliovirus (TgPVR mice) develop poliomyelitis after inoculation with poliovirus by a variety of routes. TgPVR mice have been used to identify genomic sequences responsible for the attenuation phenotype of the P1/Sabin and P2/Sabin vaccine strains. Primary cell cultures derived from TgPVR mice differentiate between neurovirulent and attenuated virus strains, indicating that it may be possible to use these cultures to determine the functional basis of attenuation. Studies in TgPVR mice indicate that poliovirus tropism is not controlled solely by expression of PVR, and that poliovirus spreads from muscle to the central nervous system by neural pathways.

Animals↗

Comparative analysis of superoxide dismutase activity between acute pharmacological models and a transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease.

We examined the activity of striatal superoxide dismutase (SOD) in two acute pharmacological models of Huntington's disease (HD), and compared it with SOD activity in the striata of mice transgenic for the HD mutation. Total SOD, and Cu/ZnSOD activities increased in young transgenic mice, but decreased in older (35 week) mice. We consider that the increased enzyme activity represents a compensatory mechanism to protect cells from free radical-induced damage, but the system becomes insufficient in older animals. Major decreases in SOD activity were also observed both after quinolinic acid and 3-nitropropionic acid intrastriatal injections. The present results indicate that in both types of HD models striatal oxidative damage occurs, and that it is associated with alterations in the cellular antioxidant system.

Animals↗

High level of circulating human tissue kallikrein induces hypotension in a transgenic mouse model.

We established a unique transgenic mouse model in liver-targeted expression of human tissue kallikrein using a mouse albumin enhancer and promoter. Northern blot analysis and ELISA showed that human tissue kallikrein was predominantly expressed in the liver of transgenic mice and secreted into the circulation at a high level. The transcript was also detected in the kidney, pancreas, salivary gland and heart at a low level by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blot analysis. Systolic blood pressures were measured by the tail-cuff method, all three independent transgenic mouse lines are hypotensive (84.6 +/- 1.0 mmHg, n = 17; 84.5 +/- 1.5 mmHg, n = 9; 83.1 +/- 0.8 mmHg, n = 13, P < 0.01) compared with the control mice (100.9 +/- 0.9 mmHg, n = 17). Administration of aprotinin, a potent tissue kallikrein inhibitor or Hoe 140, a bradykinin receptor antagonist, restored the blood pressure of transgenic mice but had no significant effect on control littermates. These studies show that over-production of tissue kallikrein in the circulation plays a role in blood pressure regulation.

Animals↗

Differential expression of C-CAM cell adhesion molecule in prostate carcinogenesis in a transgenic mouse model.

PURPOSE: The transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) model, in which various grades of prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer with metastases can be reproducibly generated, is a paradigm for prostate disease progression. We have previously shown that C-CAM, an adhesion molecule, can suppress the growth of prostate cancer. In this report, we describe immunohistochemical characterization of differential expression of C-CAM at various stages of prostate tumorigenesis in the TRAMP model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We sampled prostate specimens and periaortic lymph nodes from TRAMP mice. Indirect immunohistochemical staining with a polyclonal anti-C-CAM antibody was performed on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens. After castration at 12 weeks of age, the TRAMP mice developed androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) and lymph node metastasis at 18 to 24 weeks of age. Samples from these castrated mice were also analyzed. RESULTS: C-CAM protein was expressed in the normal prostate epithelia of non-transgenic and TRAMP mice as well as in low-grade PINs in TRAMP mice. Expression was uniform on the luminal surfaces of these epithelia. C-CAM expression was noticeably reduced and the staining pattern heterogeneous in some high-grade PINs. C-CAM staining was generally absent in prostate cancer and metastatic lymph nodes. Androgen independent prostate cancer and its metastatic tumors generated in castrated TRAMP mice were also C-CAM negative. CONCLUSIONS: C-CAM expression correlates with the differentiation states of prostate epithelia and is down regulated early in prostate tumorigenesis in the TRAMP model.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Genetic alterations in the development of mammary and prostate cancer in the C3(1)/Tag transgenic mouse model.

We have generated a transgenic mouse model in which female mice develop ductal mammary adenocarcinomas and male mice develop prostatic adenocarcinomas by using a transgene containing the hormone-responsive rat prostatic steroid binding protein 5' flanking region C3(1) fused to the simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen. We have identified some genetic alterations during mammary and prostate tumor progression: (i) p53 is functionally inactivated during mammary cancer development without p53 mutations; (ii) Alterations in apoptosis during mammary tumor progression are p53 and bcl-2 independent; (iii) Ha-ras mutations occur early in the development of prostate cancer. This unique animal model offers the opportunity to study multistep tumorigenesis in these organs.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Imaging corneal pathology in a transgenic mouse model using nonlinear microscopy.

A transgenic mouse model with a Clim [co-factor of LIM (a combination of first letters of Lin-11 (C. elegans), ISL1 (rat), and Mec-3 (C. elegans) gene names) domain proteins] gene partially blocked in the epithelial compartment of its tissues is used to establish the sensitivity of intrinsic reflectance nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) to stromal and cellular perturbations in the cornea. Our results indicate dysplasia in the squamous epithelium, irregular collagen arrays in the stroma, and a compromised posterior endothelium in the corneas of these mice. As suggested by biochemical data, the collagen alterations are likely due to collagen III synthesis and deposition during healing and remodeling of transgenic mice corneal stromas. All of the topographic features seen in NLOM images of normal and aberrant corneas are confirmed by coregistration with histological sections. In this work, we also use ratiometric redox fluorometry based on two-photon excited cellular fluorescence from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)(P)H and oxidized flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) to study mitochondrial energy metabolism. Employing this method, we detect higher metabolic activity in the endothelial layer of cornea compared to an epithelial layer located further away from the metabolites. The combination of two-photon excited fluorescence (TPF) with second harmonic generation (SHG) signals allows imaging to aid in understanding the relationship between alternation of specific genes and structural changes in cells and extracellular matrix.

Animals↗

Pathogenic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease analyzed in the APP23 transgenic mouse model.

APP23 transgenic mice overexpress human APP with the Swedish double mutation. The mice start to develop amyloid plaque pathology at about six months of age, followed somewhat later by vascular amyloid deposits. Plaques are mostly of the compact type and increase exponentially during aging. Female mice show a slightly more rapid A beta plaque deposition than do male animals. Associated with the amyloid are inflammatory reactions, neuritic and synaptic degeneration as well as tau hyperphosphorylation. Older mice have a reduced cholinergic fiber length and a reduced neuron number in the hippocampal CA1 region. Crossbreeding with transgenic mice expressing human presenilin 1 carrying Alzheimer's disease-linked mutations lead to an enhancement of the pathology. The APP23 line is a suitable model to analyze the contribution of APP, A beta, and amyloid to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Maintenance of susceptibility to neurodegeneration following intrastriatal injections of quinolinic acid in a new transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease.

A transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease (R6/1 and R6/2 lines) expressing exon 1 of the HD gene with 115-150 CAG repeats resisted striatal damage following injection of quinolinic acid and other neurotoxins. We examined whether excitotoxin resistance characterizes mice with mutant huntingtin transgenes. In a new transgenic mouse with 3 kb of mutant human huntingtin cDNA with 18, 46, or 100 CAG repeats, we found no change in susceptibility to intrastriatal injections of the excitotoxin quinolinic acid, compared to wild-type littermates. The new transgenic mice were injected with the same dose of quinolinic acid (30 nmol) as had been the R6 mice. Our findings highlight the importance of studying pathogenetic mechanisms in different transgenic models of a disease.

Animals↗

Magnetic resonance evidence of hypoxia in a homozygous alpha-knockout of a transgenic mouse model for sickle cell disease.

All transgenic mouse models for sickle cell disease express residual levels of mouse globins which complicate the interpretation of experimental results. We now report on a mouse expressing high levels of human betaS and 100% human alpha-globin. These mice were created by breeding the alpha-knockout and the mouse beta(major)-deletion to homozygosity in mice expressing human alpha- and betaS-transgenes. These betaS-alpha-knockout mice have accelerated red cell destruction, altered hematological indices, ongoing organ damage, and pathology under ambient conditions which are comparable with those found in alphaH betaS-Ant[betaMDD] mice without introduction of additional mutations which convert betaS into a "super-betaS" such as the doubly mutated betaS-Antilles. This is of particular importance for testing strategies for gene therapy of sickle cell disease. Spin echo magnetic resonance imaging at room air and 100% oxygen demonstrated the presence of blood hypoxia (high levels of deoxygenated hemoglobin) in the liver and kidneys that was absent in control mice. We demonstrate here that transgenic mice can be useful to test new noninvasive diagnostic procedures, since the magnetic resonance imaging technique described here potentially can be applied to patients with sickle cell disease.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Progress toward valid transgenic mouse models for Alzheimer's disease.

A transgenic mouse model for Alzheimer's disease (AD) should mimic the age-dependent accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal cell death as well as display memory loss and behavioral deficits. Age-dependent accumulation of A beta deposits in mouse brain has been achieved in mice overexpressing mutant alleles of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). In contrast, mice bearing mutant alleles of the presenilin genes show increased production of the A beta42 peptide, but do not form amyloid deposits unless mutant alleles of APP are also overproduced. Furthermore, the onset of A beta deposition is greatly accelerated, paralleling the involvement of presenilins in early onset AD. Studies of APP and presenilin transgenic mice have shown 1) the absence of a requirement for a maturation step in dense core plaque formation, 2) evidence that beta-amyloid deposition is directed by regional factors, and 3) behavioral deficits are observed before A beta deposition. Crosses of APP transgenic mice with mice modified for known AD risk factors and "humanizing" the mouse may be necessary for complete replication of AD.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Hepatocellular carcinoma in a hepatitis B 'x' transgenic mouse model: A sequential pathological evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of transgenic technology has made it possible to study the steps of carcinogenesis and directly establish the link between viral subgenomic fragments and specific types of cancer. Research directed at hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related carcinogenesis has benefited from this technology. We present a detailed pathological evaluation of the sequential steps of hepatocarcinogenesis in a hepatitis B 'x' (HBx) transgenic mouse model. In this model, the transgene incorporates the region encoding amino acids 58-154 of the HBV X protein and the murine c-myc gene. This model demonstrated changes in the liver from birth with foci of multicentric dysplasia evolving into nodules and overt hepatocellular carcinoma between 20 and 28 weeks. METHODS AND RESULTS: The hepatocytes were mitotically active and showed increased proliferative capacity soon after birth, with exponential increase thereafter. This was accompanied by a high rate of apoptosis, which later declined as the tumors developed. Other functional and immunophenotypic characteristics included a high c-myc expression in the neoplastic lesions, no alteration in p53 expression, and no alteration in the expression of hepatic enzymes except for diffuse expression of succinic dehydrogenase. CONCLUSION: The entire process illustrates the disturbances of cell growth and death because of the collaborative influence of HBx and c-myc genes that result in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma after a prolonged latent period.

Animals↗

Transgenic mouse models for the prevention of breast cancer.

Breast cancer prevention research has made remarkable progress in the past decade. Much of this progress has come from clinical trials. However, in the future to test the many promising agents that are now available, pre-clinical models of breast cancer are needed. Such models are now available. Useful models include rat and mouse models, particularly, the genetically engineered mice (GEM). Many transgenic mouse models have been generated by manipulating growth factors and their receptors, cell cycle regulators, signal transduction pathways, cellular differentiation, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The transgenes are induced to express in the mouse mammary glands under the control of various transgenic promoters, which have respective characteristics in expression pattern and other biological attributes. These models are providing invaluable insight on the molecular mechanisms of breast tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss the relative relevance of the most commonly used transgenic mouse models for breast cancer prevention studies, and provide examples of how these transgenic models can be used to conduct cancer prevention research. Due to the multi-factor, multi-step nature of breast cancer, many factors should be incorporated into a valid prevention study. However, many barriers to progress must be overcome, including access to and availability of new cancer preventive drugs, and difficulties in conducting studies of combinations of preventive agents.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of vascular instability in a transgenic mouse model of sickle cell disease.

We investigated a transgenic mouse model of sickle cell disease, homozygous for deletion of mouse beta-globin and containing transgenes for human beta(S) and beta(S-antilles) globins linked to the transgene for human alpha-globin. In these mice, basal cGMP production in aortic rings is increased, whereas relaxation to an endothelium-dependent vasodilator, A-23187, is impaired. In contrast, aortic expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is unaltered in sickle mice, whereas expression of inducible NOS is not detected in either group; plasma nitrate/nitrite concentrations and NOS activity are similar in both groups. Increased cGMP may reflect the stimulatory effect of peroxides (an activator of guanylate cyclase), because lipid peroxidation is increased in aortae and in plasma in sickle mice. Despite increased vascular cGMP levels in sickle mice, conscious systolic blood pressure is comparable to that of aged-matched controls; sickle mice, however, evince a greater rise in systolic blood pressure in response to nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of NOS. Systemic concentrations of the vasoconstrictive oxidative product 8-isoprostane are increased in sickle mice. We conclude that vascular responses are altered in this transgenic sickle mouse and are accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation and production of cGMP; we suggest that oxidant-inducible vasoconstrictor systems such as isoprostanes may oppose nitric oxide-dependent and nitric oxide-independent mechanisms of vasodilatation in this transgenic sickle mouse. Destabilization of the vasoactive balance in the sickle vasculature by clinically relevant states may predispose to vasoocclusive disease.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

Transgenic mouse models in carcinogenesis research and testing.

Double transgenic mice bearing fusion genes consisting of mouse albumin enhancer/promoter-mouse c-myc cDNA and mouse metallothionein 1 promoter-human TGF-alpha cDNA were generated to investigate the interaction of these genes in hepatic oncogenesis and to provide a general paradigm for characterizing both the interaction of nuclear oncogenes and growth factors in tumorigenesis. In addition, these mice provide an experimental model to test how environmental chemicals might interact with the c-myc and TGF-alpha transgenes during the neoplastic process. We show experimental evidence that co-expression of TGF-alpha and c-myc transgenes in mouse liver promotes overproduction of ROS and thus creates an oxidative stress environment. This phenomenon may account for the massive DNA damage and acceleration of hepatocarcinogenesis observed in the TGF-alpha/c-myc mouse model. Also, the role of mutagenesis in hepatocarcinogenesis induced by 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo(4,5-f)-quinoxaline (MeIQx) was demonstrated in C57BL/lacZ (Muta Mice) and double transgenic c-myc/lacZ mice that carry the lacZ mutation reporter gene. The MeLQx hepatocarcinogenicity was associated with an increase in in vivo mutagenicity as scored by mutations in the lacZ reporter gene. These results suggest that transgenic mouse models may provide important tools for testing both the carcinogenic potential of environmental chemicals and the interaction/cooperation of these compounds with specific genes during the neoplastic process.

Animals↗

Transgenic mouse models and peptide producing endocrine tumours: morpho-functional aspects.

Three transgenic mouse models which proved to develop endocrine tumours are reviewed and discussed. The neoplasms were induced through the production of the transforming oncoprotein simian virus 40 (SV40) large T-antigen. The SV40/metallothionein-growth hormone (MGH), the insulin/SV40 (INS/SV40) and the vasopressin/SV40 (AVP/SV40) transgenic mice models all developed endocrine tumours of pancreas mainly composed of insulin-producing B cells, with a minor PP cell component. In the pancreata of INS/SV40 and AVP/SV40 transgenic mice, non-tumour lesions (hyperplasia and dysplasia) were also described. AVP/SV40 transgenic mice presented tumour genesis in anterior pituitary too. The usefulness of transgenic mouse models in reproducing human pathology is outlined with special reference to genetically dependent tumours.

Animals↗