成骨细胞特异性表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠的建立

构建了含有骨钙素基因启动子、Cre重组酶基因和人生长激素基因polyA的转基因载体pOC-Cre, 以显微注射的方法将4.6 kb的转基因片段OC-Cre导入小鼠受精卵。16只子代小鼠中经PCR和Southern杂交鉴定, 有2只小鼠携带外源基因, 整合率为12.5%。为了检测OC-Cre在转基因小鼠中表达的组织特异性, 将转基因首建者小鼠与基因组上携带有LoxP位点的条件性Smad4基因敲除小鼠交配, PCR结果显示, 仅在子代纯合型小鼠骨组织基因组中扩增出了Cre介导重组后的片段。将OC-Cre转基因小鼠与ROSA26报告小鼠交配, 利用LacZ染色对双转基因阳性子代小鼠进行检测, 结果显示Cre重组酶在成骨细胞中特异性表达并介导ROSA基因座LoxP位点间的重组。所有这些结果说明：所建立的OC-Cre转基因小鼠在成骨细胞中特异性表达Cre重组酶, 并能在体内介导成骨细胞基因组上LoxP位点间的重组, 是一种理想的研制成骨细胞特异性基因敲除小鼠的工具小鼠。     

中枢神经系统特异性表达Cre重组酶的转基因小鼠

利用从129sv小鼠基因组文库克隆得到的1．8kb的胶质细胞原纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)基因的5′端调控序列,构建了含有2个β—珠蛋白绝缘子、GFAP5′端调控区、Cre基因和人生长激素基因(hGH)polyA的转基因载体pGFAP—Cre—hGH。以显微注射的方法将7．6kb的转基因片段pGFAP—Cre—hGH引入191枚小鼠基因组受精卵,其中176枚分别移植至8只假孕母鼠的输卵管中使其发育,共获得子代小鼠25只。经PCR和Southern杂交鉴定其中7只小鼠基因组上整合有Cre基因,整合率为28％。用整合有Cre基因的转基因小鼠与基因组上整合有LoxP位点和LacZ表达框的ROSA26鼠杂交,以检测Cre酶的活性、组织特异性及其介导的两个LoxP位点间的重组。LacZ染色结果表明,GFAP—Cre转基因小鼠只在中枢神经系统中表达Cre重组酶并能在体内成功介导LoxP位点间的重组。     

Tbx18-Cre基因敲入小鼠的繁殖、鉴定及其应用

为了探讨Tbx18-Cre基因敲入小鼠(Tbx18:Cre knock-in Mus musculus)的繁殖、鉴定及Tbx18基因敲除小鼠和遗传示踪小鼠模型的应用,将Tbx18-Cre基因敲入杂合子小鼠进行繁殖,应用PCR法鉴定其子代基因型。将子代雌雄杂合子小鼠互交,应用H.E染色观察Tbx18基因敲除胚鼠心的形态学变化。将杂合子小鼠与RosaEYFP报告小鼠交配,应用心冰冻切片技术观察Tbx18:Cre/Rosa26REYFP双转基因遗传示踪胚鼠心内Tbx18阳性心外膜祖细胞发育命运。结果表明,用于繁殖、基因敲除研究及基因遗传示踪的子代基因型均符合孟德尔遗传规律。同时心H.E染色和心冰冻切片发现,Tbx18敲除小鼠心窦房结发育存在缺陷,而Tbx18阳性心外膜祖细胞是心发育重要的祖细胞来源。研究结果揭示,Tbx18-Cre基因敲除小鼠是研究先天性心脏病发病机制的理想模式动物,Tbx18阳性心外膜祖细胞可能是心脏病患者心脏修复和再生潜在的种子细胞。     

肝脏特异性CD36基因敲除小鼠的制备及鉴定

目的:运用Cre/Loxp重组酶系统构建肝脏特异性CD36基因敲除小鼠并进行鉴定和验证,为研究CD36的生物学功能奠定基础。方法:构建CD36打靶载体,电转转染胚胎干细胞,通过长链PCR筛选出正确同源重组的阳性克隆,阳性胚胎干细胞克隆经扩增后,注射入C57BL/6J小鼠的囊胚中,获得嵌合小鼠,再与Flp小鼠交配筛选获得Flox杂合子小鼠,该小鼠与引进的Alb-Cre小鼠交配,在F3代获得CD36fl/fl:Alb-Cre+基因型小鼠,即为肝脏特异性CD36敲除小鼠。采用PCR鉴定小鼠基因型,PCR、实时荧光定量PCR和Western blot验证小鼠肝脏CD36敲除效果,Western blot检测小鼠肾脏、脂肪和心肌组织CD36表达情况,HE染色观察小鼠肝脏形态学改变。结果:建立了CD36基因的Flox杂合子小鼠,与Alb-Cre小鼠交配后,在F3代筛选出CD36fl/fl:AlbCre-和CD36fl/fl:Alb-Cre+基因型小鼠,DNA水平证实CD36fl/fl:Alb-Cre+基因型小鼠肝脏CD36基因通过Cre/Loxp重组酶系统被敲除。与CD36fl/fl:Alb-Cre-基因型小鼠相比,CD36fl/fl:Alb-Cre+基因型小鼠肝脏CD36mRNA和蛋白表达水平显著降低,肾脏、脂肪和心肌组织CD36蛋白表达无差别,肝脏形态学特征无明显差异。结论:通过Cre/Loxp重组酶系统成功构建了肝脏特异性CD36基因敲除小鼠,为研究CD36在肝脏代谢和肝脏疾病中的功能提供了动物模型。     

Presenilin-1/Presenilin-2双基因敲除小鼠的繁育及基因型鉴定

目的:繁殖及鉴定Presenilins双基因敲除小鼠,为进一步研究阿尔茨海默症(AD)奠定基础。方法:将引进的野生型及PS1/PS2双基因敲除小鼠进行饲养并繁殖,繁殖成功的子代小鼠基因型有野生型、杂合子和纯合子3种。提取子代小鼠鼠尾基因组DNA,用PCR法和琼脂糖凝胶电泳鉴定基因类型。结果:PS1/PS2双基因敲除小鼠的饲养和繁殖均获得成功,繁殖结果符合孟德尔遗传规律,同时获得更多基因型小鼠和Presenilins双基因敲除小鼠。结论:正确的饲养繁殖以及鉴定方法是获得PS1/PS2双基因敲除小鼠的有效途径。     

海马与新皮质组织特异性GABRG2基因敲除小鼠模型的构建及其在遗传性癫痫伴热性惊厥附加症中的初步研究 *

建立基于Cre/loxp重组酶系统调控的海马和新皮质特异性GABA_A受体γ2亚基(GABRG2)基因条件基因敲除小鼠模型,为深入研究海马区和新皮质GABRG2在癫痫发生中的功能作用提供动物模型.将引进的GABRG2 ^fl/wt转基因小鼠与海马和新皮质特异性表达Cre ^+/+重组酶工具鼠分别进行繁配和鉴定,然后再将2种小鼠进行杂交并对其子代小鼠的基因型进行鉴定,其子代基因型为GABRG2 ^fl/wtCre ⁺的小鼠为构建的海马区和新皮质特异性GABRG2基因条件性敲除小鼠.利用PCR技术鉴定小鼠基因型,Real-Time PCR和Western blot技术检测GABRG2基因在小鼠海马和新皮质中的mRNA水平和蛋白质水平的表达情况.PCR结果显示子代小鼠基因型符合GABRG2 ^fl/wtCre ⁺;海马与新皮质特异性GABRG2基因敲除小鼠海马和新皮质中GABRG2的mRNA水平和蛋白质水平显著低于对照组;热造模过程中,实验组小鼠癫痫发作更明显.利用Cre/Loxp技术成功构建了海马与新皮质GABRG2基因敲除小鼠,可为进一步研究GABRG2在癫痫发生中的作用机制奠定基础.     

海马与新皮质组织特异性GABRG2基因敲除小鼠模型的构建及其在遗传性癫痫伴热性惊厥附加症中的初步研究

建立基于Cre/loxp重组酶系统调控的海马和新皮质特异性GABA_A受体γ2亚基(GABRG2)基因条件基因敲除小鼠模型,为深入研究海马区和新皮质GABRG2在癫痫发生中的功能作用提供动物模型。将引进的GABRG2~(fl/wt)转基因小鼠与海马和新皮质特异性表达Cre~+/+重组酶工具鼠分别进行繁配和鉴定,然后再将2种小鼠进行杂交并对其子代小鼠的基因型进行鉴定,其子代基因型为GABRG2~(fl/wt)Cre~+的小鼠为构建的海马区和新皮质特异性GABRG2基因条件性敲除小鼠。利用PCR技术鉴定小鼠基因型,Real-Time PCR和Western blot技术检测GABRG2基因在小鼠海马和新皮质中的mRNA水平和蛋白质水平的表达情况。PCR结果显示子代小鼠基因型符合GABRG2~(fl/wt)Cre~+;海马与新皮质特异性GABRG2基因敲除小鼠海马和新皮质中GABRG2的mRNA水平和蛋白质水平显著低于对照组;热造模过程中,实验组小鼠癫痫发作更明显。利用Cre/Loxp技术成功构建了海马与新皮质GABRG2基因敲除小鼠,可为进一步研究GABRG2在癫痫发生中的作用机制奠定基础。     

消化道细胞表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠的功能鉴定

目的:检测白蛋白启动子介导的Cre重组酶转基因小鼠Alb-Cre-2中Cre重组酶的组织分布及其在体内介导基因重组的作用。方法:将Alb-Cre小鼠与Smad4条件基因打靶小鼠交配,利用PCR对Cre重组酶介导重组的组织特异性进行检测;然后,将Alb-Cre-2转基因小鼠与ROSA26报告小鼠交配,利用LacZ染色对双转基因阳性子代小鼠进行检测。结果:PCR结果显示心、肺、胰、脑及消化道中Cre重组酶介导的Smad4基因发生重组;LacZ染色进一步表明Cre重组酶在肝细胞、胃壁细胞、空肠潘氏细胞、回肠杯状细胞、大肠杯状细胞、大肠柱状细胞及空泡细胞中特异性表达,并介导ROSA位点LoxP序列间的重组。结论:Alb-Cre-2转基因小鼠在消化道中具有一定的组织特异性,只在胃壁细胞、空肠潘氏细胞、回肠杯状细胞、大肠杯状细胞,大肠柱状细胞及空泡细胞等细胞类型中特异性表达,并能在体内成功地介导这些消化道上皮细胞基因组上LoxP位点间的重组,是一种研制在消化道特定细胞中特异性基因剔除小鼠的良好工具小鼠。     

软骨组织特异性表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠的研制和鉴定

构建了含有软骨组织特异性Ⅱ型胶原A1启动子和Cre重组酶基因的转基因载体pcol2Al-Cre。323枚小鼠受精卵经显微注射引入转基因片段后,分别移植至14只假孕母鼠的输卵管使其发育。共得到仔鼠52只,PCR结果显示其中10只小鼠基因组上有Cre基因的整合,整合率为19．2％。用整合有Cre基因的转基因小鼠与基因组上携带LoxP位点的条件基因打靶小鼠交配,以检测Cre酶介导的重组及其组织特异性。PCR结果表明：col2Al-Cre转基因小鼠软骨组织中表达的Cre重组酶成功地介导了LoxP之间的重组。此结果通过Southern杂交得到了进一步的证实。     

Smad3基因剔除小鼠的繁殖与基因型鉴定

目的为进一步深入研究Smad3基因在脊椎动物发育中的重要作用,对Smad3基因剔除小鼠进行保种和繁育研究.方法采用基因剔除杂合子小鼠进行保种,通过PCR和Southern杂交对杂合子小鼠交配所产生的后代进行基因型鉴定,纯合子小鼠和野生型小鼠用于表型分析,杂合子小鼠用于留种和繁殖生产.结果采用PCR方法对278只子代小鼠进行了基因型鉴定,83只为野生型,133只为杂合子,62只为纯合子.结论Smad3基因剔除突变能稳定遗传.采用杂合子小鼠保种,子代小鼠三种基因型比例符合孟德尔遗传定律.     

Cre-mediated gene deletion in the mammary gland.

To delete genes specifically from mammary tissue using the Cre-lox system, we have established transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under control of the WAP gene promoter and the MMTV LTR. Cre activity in these mice was evaluated by three criteria. First, the tissue distribution of Cre mRNA was analyzed. Second, an adenovirus carrying a reporter gene was used to determine expression at the level of single cells. Third, tissue specificity of Cre activity was determined in a mouse strain carrying a reporter gene. In adult MMTV-Cre mice expression of the transgene was confined to striated ductal cells of the salivary gland and mammary epithelial cells in virgin and lactating mice. Expression of WAP-Cre was only detected in alveolar epithelial cells of mammary tissue during lactation. Analysis of transgenic mice carrying both the MMTV-Cre and the reporter transgenes revealed recombination in every tissue. In contrast, recombination mediated by Cre under control of the WAP gene promoter was largely restricted to the mammary gland but occasionally observed in the brain. These results show that transgenic mice with WAP-Cre but not MMTV-Cre can be used as a powerful tool to study gene function in development and tumorigenesis in the mammary gland.     

线粒体钾通道Kcna3基因敲除小鼠初步制备

目的 为观察线粒体钾通道在缺血再灌注(I/R)心肌损伤中的作用,探讨其和心衰的关系,制备基因敲除小鼠模型以探讨钾通道单分子作用.方法 用BAC载体制备同源重组载体,对129小鼠胚胎干细胞(ES)打靶筛选后,显微注射至C57 BL/6J小鼠囊胚获得嵌合小鼠.经尾基因组DNA PCR鉴定和测序,鉴别杂合子小鼠.结果 在40只灰色小鼠中初步鉴定出Kcna3+/-基因型F1小鼠8只.结论 在国内首先用ES同源重组基因打靶方法,成功育成Kcna3基因敲除鼠杂合子,为下一步获得纯合子鼠奠定了基础.对进一步用钾离子通道病模型研究心肌保护病理生理机制和药物筛选具重要意义.     

Lactation defect in a widely used MMTV-Cre transgenic line of mice

Background

MMTV-Cre mouse lines have played important roles in our understanding about the functions of numerous genes in mouse mammary epithelial cells during mammary gland development and tumorigenesis. However, numerous studies have not included MMTV-Cre mice as controls, and many investigators have not indicated which of the different MMTV-Cre founder lines were used in their studies. Here, we describe a lactation defect that severely limits the use of one of the most commonly used MMTV-Cre founder lines.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To explore the role of protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp1 in mammary gland development, mice bearing the floxed Shp1 gene were crossed with MMTV-Cre mice and mammary gland development was examined by histological and biochemical techniques, while lactation competency was assessed by monitoring pup growth. Surprisingly, both the Shp1fl/+;MMTV-Cre and MMTV-Cre female mice displayed a severe lactation defect when compared to the Shp1 fl/+ control mice. Histological and biochemical analyses reveal that female mice expressing the MMTV-Cre transgene, either alone or in combination with floxed genes, exhibit defects in lobuloalveolar expansion, presence of large cytoplasmic lipid droplets in luminal alveolar epithelial cells postpartum, and precocious induction of involution. Using a PCR-based genotyping method, the three different founder lines can be distinguished, and we determined that the MMTV-Cre line A, the most widely used MMTV-Cre founder line, exhibits a profound lactation defect that limits its use in studies on mammary gland development.

Conclusions/Significance

The identification of a lactation defect in the MMTV-Cre line A mice indicates that investigators must use MMTV-Cre alone mice as control in studies that utilize Cre recombinase to excise genes of interest from mammary epithelial cells. Our results also suggest that previous results obtained in studies using the MMTV-Cre line A line should be re-evaluated if the controls did not include mice expressing only Cre recombinase.     

Selective removal of the selenocysteine tRNA [Ser]Sec gene (Trsp) in mouse mammary epithelium

Mice homozygous for an allele encoding the selenocysteine (Sec) tRNA [Ser]Sec gene (Trsp) flanked by loxP sites were generated. Cre recombinase-dependent removal of Trsp in these mice was lethal to embryos. To investigate the role of Trsp in mouse mammary epithelium, we deleted this gene by using transgenic mice carrying the Cre recombinase gene under control of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) long terminal repeat or the whey acidic protein promoter. While both promoters target Cre gene expression to mammary epithelium, MMTV-Cre is also expressed in spleen and skin. Sec tRNA [Ser]Sec amounts were reduced by more than 70% in mammary tissue with either transgene, while in skin and spleen, levels were reduced only with MMTV-Cre. The selenoprotein population was selectively affected with MMTV-Cre in breast and skin but not in the control tissue, kidney. Moreover, within affected tissues, expression of specific selenoproteins was regulated differently and often in a contrasting manner, with levels of Sep15 and the glutathione peroxidases GPx1 and GPx4 being substantially reduced. Expression of the tumor suppressor genes BRCA1 and p53 was also altered in a contrasting manner in MMTV-Cre mice, suggesting greater susceptibility to cancer and/or increased cell apoptosis. Thus, the conditional Trsp knockout mouse allows tissue-specific manipulation of Sec tRNA and selenoprotein expression, suggesting that this approach will provide a useful tool for studying the role of selenoproteins in health.     

Loss of the peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma ) does not affect mammary development and propensity for tumor formation but leads to reduced fertility

The peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is expressed in many cell types including mammary epithelium, ovary, macrophages, and B- and T-cells. PPARgamma has an anti-proliferative effect in pre-adipocytes and mammary epithelial cells, and treatment with its ligands reduced the progression of carcinogen-induced mammary tumors in mice. Because PPARgamma-null mice die in utero it has not been possible to study its role in development and tumorigenesis in vivo. To investigate whether PPARgamma is required for the establishment and physiology of different cell types, a cell-specific deletion of the gene was carried out in mice using the Cre-loxP recombination system. We deleted the PPARgamma gene in mammary epithelium using WAP-Cre transgenic mice and in epithelial cells, B- and T-cells, and ovary cells using MMTV-Cre mice. The presence of PPARgamma was not required for functional development of the mammary gland during pregnancy and for the establishment of B- and T-cells. In addition, no increase in mammary tumors was observed. However, loss of the PPARgamma gene in oocytes and granulosa cells resulted in impaired fertility. These mice have normal populations of follicles, they ovulate and develop corpora lutea. Although progesterone levels are decreased and implantation rates are reduced, the exact cause of the impaired fertility remains to be determined.     

Neuropilin-2 promotes branching morphogenesis in the mouse mammary gland

Although the neuropilins were characterized as semaphorin receptors that regulate axon guidance, they also function as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors and contribute to the development of other tissues. Here, we assessed the role of NRP2 in mouse mammary gland development based on our observation that NRP2 is expressed preferentially in the terminal end buds of developing glands. A floxed NRP2 mouse was bred with an MMTV-Cre strain to generate a mammary gland-specific knockout of NRP2. MMTV-Cre;NRP2(loxP/loxP) mice exhibited significant defects in branching morphogenesis and ductal outgrowth compared with either littermate MMTV-Cre;NRP2(+/loxP) or MMTV-Cre mice. Mechanistic insight into this morphological defect was obtained from a mouse mammary cell line in which we observed that VEGF(165), an NRP2 ligand, induces branching morphogenesis in 3D cultures and that branching is dependent upon NRP2 as shown using shRNAs and a function-blocking antibody. Epithelial cells in the mouse mammary gland express VEGF, supporting the hypothesis that this NRP2 ligand contributes to mammary gland morphogenesis. Importantly, we demonstrate that VEGF and NRP2 activate focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and promote FAK-dependent branching morphogenesis in vitro. The significance of this mechanism is substantiated by our finding that FAK activation is diminished significantly in developing MMTV-Cre;NRP2(loxP/loxP) mammary glands compared with control glands. Together, our data reveal a VEGF/NRP2/FAK signaling axis that is important for branching morphogenesis and mammary gland development. In a broader context, our data support an emerging hypothesis that directional outgrowth and branching morphogenesis in a variety of tissues are influenced by signals that were identified initially for their role in axon guidance.     

Genetic mosaic analysis reveals FGF receptor 2 function in terminal end buds during mammary gland branching morphogenesis

FGF signaling is associated with breast cancer and is required for mammary placode formation in the mouse. In this study, we employed a genetic mosaic analysis based on Cre-mediated recombination to investigate FGF receptor 2 (Fgfr2) function in the postnatal mammary gland. Mosaic inactivation of Fgfr2 by the MMTV-Cre transgene enabled us to compare the behavior of Fgfr2 null and Fgfr2 heterozygous cells in the same gland. Fgfr2 null cells were at a competitive disadvantage to their Fgfr2 heterozygous neighbors in the highly proliferative terminal end buds (TEBs) at the invasion front, owing to a negative effect of loss of Fgfr2 function on cell proliferation. However, Fgfr2 null cells were tolerated in mature ducts. In these genetic mosaic mammary glands, the epithelial network is apparently built by TEBs that over time are composed of a progressively larger proportion of Fgfr2-positive cells. However, subsequently, most cells lose Fgfr2 function, presumably due to additional rounds of Cre-mediated recombination. Using an independent strategy to create mosaic mammary glands, which employed an adenovirus-Cre that acts only once, we confirmed that Fgfr2 null cells were out-competed by neighboring Fgfr2 heterozygous cells. Together, our data demonstrate that Fgfr2 functions in the proliferating and invading TEBs, but it is not required in the mature ducts of the pubertal mammary gland.     

Biogenesis and function of mouse mammary epithelium depends on the presence of functional alpha-catenin

Alpha-catenin is a structural molecule and essential to the function of epithelial adherens junctions. Its role in the morphogenesis of mammary epithelium was explored using experimental mouse genetics. Since loss of α-catenin in mice leads to embryonic lethality, the α-catenin gene was flanked by loxP sites and inactivated in mammary epithelium using the WAP-Cre and MMTV-Cre transgenes. Loss of α-catenin arrested alveolar epithelial expansion. These cells lacked proper polarity and markers of functional differentiation, which resulted in impaired milk protein gene expression. Without α-catenin, increased epithelial cell death was observed at parturition and the tissue resembled an involuted gland that is normally observed after weaning. Lastly, no tumors were detected in mammary tissue lacking α-catenin.