应用RNA干扰技术体外抑制兔成纤维细胞HGPRT的表达及其核移植研究

次黄嘌呤-鸟嘌呤磷酸核糖基转移酶( hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase,HGPRT )的功能缺失与痛风、肾结石和雷纳综合症(Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome)等疾病相关．制作HGPRT基因表达降低的模式动物,将有利于人们对这种疾病的发病机理和治疗做进一步的研究．构建了针对HGPRT基因表达的shRNA干扰载体,并将质粒转染兔成纤维细胞,获得携带该干扰片段的转基因细胞系,经PCR鉴定转基因成纤维细胞克隆阳性率为83.3%．RT-PCR及Western blot检测结果表明转基因干扰成纤维细胞系HGPRT mRNA和蛋白质表达量明显降低．最后,以转基因成纤维细胞进行核移植,囊胚率为27.8%,与正常来源的成纤维细胞囊胚率相比较差异不显著．说明,通过RNAi可稳定干扰兔成纤维细胞HGPRT基因的表达,为进一步通过核移植技术建立HGPRT RNAi转基因兔模型创造条件．     

成体兔转基因成纤维细胞的克隆分离及其核移植研究

哺乳动物体细胞核移植及其与转基因技术的结合为转基因动物的研究提供了新的思路和方法．然而,单个转基因细胞克隆的分离培养一直比较困难,很大程度上限制了转基因动物的研制．将pRNAT-U6.1/Neo质粒转染成体兔成纤维细胞,通过24孔细胞培养板分离培养法获得来源于单个转基因成纤维细胞克隆．由于单个成纤维细胞克隆在新鲜DMEM培养液中生长比较困难或缓慢,采用由DMEM/F12制备的条件性培养液进行筛选．以转基因成纤维细胞为供体细胞进行核移植,囊胚率为23.5%,与来源于成体兔正常成纤维细胞相比较差异不显著．并且利用PCR或多重PCR方法鉴定筛选的转基因细胞克隆及其核移植胚胎中整合的Neo^R基因和常染色体β-actin DNA．为转基因哺乳动物细胞的分离培养和核移植胚胎的鉴定提供可靠的方法,缩短了转基因动物的研制周期,降低生产成本,同时为进一步通过核移植技术获得转基因克隆兔提供了条件     

整合人lactoferrin基因的山羊体细胞支持核移植克隆胚的体外发育

克隆了人lactoferrin基因和山羊[[beta]]-casein基因5′端调控区, 构建了人lactoferrin的乳腺表达载体, 并将该载体利用脂质体介导转染了奶山羊胎儿成纤维细胞, 获得了稳定整合人lactoferrin基因的转基因体细胞克隆17个, 其中PCR和Southern Blot检测阳性的细胞克隆14个, 阳性率82.4%。以转基因体细胞为供体细胞进行了核移植, 获得了能够体外发育的山羊转基因克隆胚胎, 体内成熟卵母细胞来源的核移植囊胚率为64.8%, 体外成熟卵母细胞来源的核移植囊胚率为51.7%, 证明了山羊转基因体细胞能够支持克隆胚的进一步发育。     

绒山羊表达红色荧光及转胰岛素样生长因子Ⅰ基因体细胞核移植胚胎的制备

利用含有红色荧光和Neor基因双选择标记的IGF1毛囊特异表达载体pCDsR-KI转染绒山羊胎儿成纤维细胞,经G418筛选获得具有红色荧光的IGF1转基因细胞.核移植操作前,通过比较卵母细胞体外成熟培养不同时间的成熟率以及核与极体的距离,确定20h为绒山羊卵母细胞的最佳成熟时间.比较了不同激活方法和培养体系对孤雌胚激活效率和孤雌胚早期发育的影响,结果表明：IA23187＋6-DMAP组的激活效率和囊胚率（88.7%＆21.6%）均稍高于乙醇＋6-DMAP组（86.4%＆20.4%）,但二组相应数据之间差异均不显著（P〉0.05）,选择前者作为转基因核移植胚的激活方案;SOFaa和CR1aa两种体外培养体系中,孤雌胚卵裂率（86.8%vs83.9%）和囊胚率（23.1%vs17.2%）均差异不显著（P〉0.05）,选择结果较好的SOFaa组.比较了不同电融合参数的融合效果,结果表明：190V/mm处理组结果（62.4%）显著高于130V/mm（32.8%）和200V/mm（42.9%）组（P〈0.05）.通过T-SCNT获得转基因重构胚胎203枚,48h卵裂率为79.3%（161/203）,第7~9天囊胚发育率为15.3%（31/203）.所得到的31枚囊胚中,较强表达红色荧光蛋白的囊胚数为17枚（阳性率为54.8%）.随机挑选两枚红色荧光囊胚以PCR法进行鉴定,结果全部为转基因阳性.以上结果显示：（i）表达载体的红色荧光蛋白和Neor基因可以正常表达可获取转基因细胞和阳性转基因胚胎;（ii）所制备转基因囊胚仍有部分不表达红色荧光蛋白,说明即使选择转基因阳性细胞进行核移植所得囊胚也并非全部为转基因阳性,在囊胚期进一步筛选是必要的;（iii）通过TSCNT操作及优化,成功获得了表达红色荧光并同时转有IGF1基因的绒山羊胚胎,为绒山羊的转基因研究提供基础数据.     

利用体细胞核移植技术制作人胰岛素原转基因牛 （英文）

通过体细胞核移植技术制作了人胰岛素原转基因牛。在CMV启动子指导下以内部核糖体进入位点序列(IRES)连接的新霉素抗性基因和绿色荧光蛋白基因组成了双重标记基因的筛选系统,用于转基因细胞的富集以及细胞和植入前胚胎的筛选。转基因通过电穿孔的方法(900V/cm,5ms)转入体外培养的牛胎儿成纤维细胞,基因转染细胞在添加G418 (800μg/mL)的培养基中培养10天以富集转基因细胞。选择表达绿色荧光蛋白的转基因细胞作为核供体进行体细胞核移植,重构胚经体外培养至囊胚阶段,选择表达绿色荧光蛋白的囊胚进行胚胎移植。为比较基因转染以及供体细胞所处周期对转基因细胞核移植胚胎发育的影响,用作核移植供体的转基因细胞或非转基因细胞先饥饿培养2—4天(0.5 ?S) ,然后恢复培养(10?S) 10 h使细胞同步化于G1期,以正常培养的细胞作为对照进行核移植。结果表明,转基因细胞作为核供体得到的核移植胚胎的体外囊胚发育率低于以非转基因细胞为核供体的对照组(23.2% VS 35.2 %,P<0.05) ;转基因细胞周期同步化处理与否对其克隆胚囊胚发育率无显著影响(23.2% VS 18.9 %,P>0.05)。胚胎移植后2个月直肠检查发现7头受体牛(每头移植2—4枚胚胎)中有一头妊娠,并最终发育足月产下一头小牛。聚合酶链反应(PCR)检测和DNA测序分析表明其为转人胰岛素原基因的转基因克隆牛。     

利用改进的手工克隆技术生产转GFP基因猪克隆胚胎

通过体细胞核移植(Somatic cell nuclear transfer,SCNT)培育转基因动物新个体是当前被广泛使用的技术之一,但其生产成本高和转基因囊胚形成率低在很大程度上制约了该技术的应用。文章报告对该技术的一些改进以提高其成功率并降低成本。首先将增强型绿色荧光基因(EGFP)导入猪胎儿成纤维细胞中,通过荧光观察EGFP的表达来筛选适合做细胞核移植的体细胞。这样避免了外源EGFP基因虽已整合至猪基因组但不表达的情况,保证供体细胞100%是表达目标蛋白(绿色荧光蛋白)的细胞;然后利用新一代体细胞核移植技术——手工克隆技术(Handmade cloning,HMC)将供体细胞与卵母细胞融合生产胚胎。共收集了4个批次378个肉用家猪的卵母细胞,经体外培养成熟后手工去核得到266个去核卵母细胞,与EGFP细胞融合后获得127个重构胚胎,将重构胚胎体外培养到144 h,得到转基因囊胚65个,平均囊胚率为52.1±8.3%。与传统SCNT相比,HMC不仅操作简便,而且能大幅提高核移植细胞的囊胚率。更为重要的是,改进的手工克隆技术摆脱了昂贵的显微操作仪,为产业化生产转基因动物提供了新的实用基础。     

以不同类型的转基因细胞为核供体生产牛的转基因克隆胚胎

利用所构建的含新霉素抗性(Neo^r)基因和绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因的双标记选择载体, 通过电穿孔的方法, 分别转染了牛胎儿成纤维细胞、胎儿输卵管上皮细胞、胎儿卵巢上皮细胞、颗粒细胞, 经过800 μg/mL的G418筛选14 d后, 均获得了阳性细胞株. 分别以未转基因牛颗粒细胞和4种细胞系的转基因细胞为核供体, 进行了牛的体细胞核移植. 结果表明: (ⅰ) 转基因与未转基因牛颗粒细胞的重组胚的囊胚发育率(44.6% vs 42.8%)、移植妊娠率(19% vs 25%)差异不显著(P＞0.05); (ⅱ) 比较4种类型转基因细胞的重组胚的囊胚发育率, 发现胎儿输卵管上皮细胞(49.1%)和颗粒细胞(44.6%)最高, 牛胎儿成纤维细胞(37.2%)次之, 胎儿卵巢上皮细胞的重组胚囊胚发育率(22.5%)最低, 三者之间差异显著(P＜0.05). 以上结果显示, 供体细胞的转基因与否对牛克隆胚胎的体外和体内早期发育影响不明显; 通过体细胞核移植技术, 牛胎儿输卵管上皮细胞和颗粒细胞可以有效地生产牛转基因囊胚, 并且绿色荧光蛋白作为一种无毒性作用的筛选标记, 可用于转基因胚胎的筛选.     

转人t-PA指形区缺失基因的山羊体细胞核移植及其继代核移植

为了探索转基因体细胞核经连续核移植后的发育潜力,以转人组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(t-PA)指形区缺失基因的山羊胎儿成纤维细胞为核供体,MII期的卵母细胞质为核受体,利用胞质内注射法构建原代核移胚胎(G0),并进行了原代核移植胚胎的继代核移植研究。比较原代和继代核移植胚胎在体外发育能力上的差异;在G1、G2代核移植试验过程中,比较了供体胚胎细胞的发育阶段对核移植胚胎体外发育的影响。结果表明,原代核移植胚胎的卵裂率(76.45%±1.17%)与继代核移植胚胎的卵裂率(72.18%±1.97%,76.05%±2.38%,75.99%±2.84%)无显著性差异(P>0.05)。但原代核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(47.20%±2.93%)、囊胚率(11.00%±1.42%)显著高于G1、G2、G3代核核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(34.99%±2.66%,28.23%±2.00%,23.34%±1.99%)、囊胚率(3.87%±0.67%,2.08%±1.66%,0);在G1、G2中,当用16-细胞期核移植胚胎作为核供体时的桑葚胚率(29.57%±1.53%,24.43%±1.87%)、囊胚率(1.96%±1.31%,2.01%±1.34%)低于用32~64-细胞时期的核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(34.32%±1.31%,29.76%±1.66%)、囊胚率(3.86%±1.03%,3.48%±0.34%),但无显著性差异(P>0.05)。由此得出结论:转基因体细胞核移植胚胎不宜进行多代克隆;胞质内注射法构建核移植胚胎,用32~64-细胞期的胚胎作为核供体构建的核移植胚胎的体外发育率高于用16-细胞期的胚胎作为核供体构建的核移植胚胎的体外发育率。     

利用体细胞核移植技术制作人胰岛素原转基因牛

通过体细胞核移植技术制作了人胰岛素原转基因牛。在CMV启动子指导下以内部核糖体进入位点序列（IRES）连接的新霉素抗性基因和绿色荧光蛋白基因组成了双重标记基因的筛选系统，用于转基因细胞的富集以及细胞和植入前胚胎的筛选。转基因通过电穿孔的方法（900 V/cm, 5 ms）转入体外培养的牛胎儿成纤维细胞，基因转染细胞在添加G418(800 μg/mL) 的培养基中培养10天以富集转基因细胞。选择表达绿色荧光蛋白的转基因细胞作为核供体进行体细胞核移植，重构胚经体外培养至囊胚阶段，选择表达绿色荧光蛋白的囊胚进行胚胎移植。为比较基因转染以及供体细胞所处周期对转基因细胞核移植胚胎发育的影响，用作核移植供体的转基因细胞或非转基因细胞先饥饿培养2—4天(0.5% FBS)，然后恢复培养(10% FBS)10?h使细胞同步化于G1期，以正常培养的细胞作为对照进行核移植。 结果表明，转基因细胞作为核供体得到的核移植胚胎的体外囊胚发育率低于以非转基因细胞为核供体的对照组(23.2% VS 35.2%, P<0.05)；转基因细胞周期同步化处理与否对其克隆胚囊胚发育率无显著影响（23.2% VS 18.9%, P>0.05）。胚胎移植后2个月直肠检查发现7头受体牛（每头移植2—4枚胚胎）中有一头妊娠，并最终发育足月产下一头小牛。聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测和DNA测序分析表明其为转人胰岛素原基因的转基因克隆牛。     

转人t-PA指形区缺失基因的山羊体细胞核移植及其继代核移植

为了探索转基因体细胞核经连续核移植后的发育潜力,以转人组织型纤溶酶原激活剂（t-PA）指形区缺失基因的山羊胎儿成纤维细胞为核供体, MII期的卵母细胞质为核受体,利用胞质内注射法构建原代核移胚胎(G0),并进行了原代核移植胚胎的继代核移植研究。比较原代和继代核移植胚胎在体外发育能力上的差异;在G1 、G2代核移植试验过程中,比较了供体胚胎细胞的发育阶段对核移植胚胎体外发育的影响。结果表明,原代核移植胚胎的卵裂率(76.45%±1.17%)与继代核移植胚胎的卵裂率(72.18%±1.97%,76.05%±2.38%,75.99%±2.84%)无显著性差异(P>0.05)。但原代核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(47.20%±2.93%)、囊胚率(11.00%±1.42%)显著高于G₁、G₂、G₃代核核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(34.99%±2.66%,28.23%±2.00%,23.34%±1.99%)、囊胚率(3.87%±0.67%,2.08%±1.66%,0);在G₁、G₂中,当用16-细胞期核移植胚胎作为核供体时的桑葚胚率(29.57%±1.53%, 24.43%±1.87%)、囊胚率(1.96%±1.31%, 2.01%±1.34%)低于用32～64-细胞时期的核移植胚胎的桑葚胚率(34.32%±1.31%, 29.76%±1.66%)、囊胚率(3.86%±1.03%, 3.48%±0.34%),但无显著性差异 (P>0.05)。由此得出结论：转基因体细胞核移植胚胎不宜进行多代克隆;胞质内注射法构建核移植胚胎,用32～64-细胞期的胚胎作为核供体构建的核移植胚胎的体外发育率高于用16-细胞期的胚胎作为核供体构建的核移植胚胎的体外发育率。     

Rapid determination of hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyl transferase in human fibroblasts and amniotic cells.

A micromodification of the method of HGPRT and APRT assay is described, which measures the incorporation of 14C hypoxanthine and 14C adenine into cultured skin fibroblasts and amniotic cells grown on microtiter plates. Only about 10000 cells are needed per assay. By this method HGPRT deficient cells can be easily distinguished from normal cells. Investigations with respect to the effect of substrate concentrations and time of incubation have been carried out on some normal fibroblast cell lines, amniotic cell lines and 3 Lesch-Nyhan cell lines. Another modified method is described for quantitative determination of HGPRT activity by means of radio thin-layer chromatography.     

Construction of multiple shRNAs expression vector that inhibits FUT1 gene expression and production of the transgenic SCNT embryos in vitro

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18 is a major pathogen that causes postweaning diarrhoea and edema disease in piglets. The alpha(1,2)-fucosyltransferase (FUT1) gene has been identified as an ideal candidate gene for controlling the expression of the receptor for ECF18 bacteria. Therefore, the use of RNA interference (RNAi) to study the function of the FUT1 gene and to produce FUT1 knockdown transgenic pig would be highly beneficial. We developed an effective strategy for the expression of multiple small hairpin RNA simultaneously using multiple RNA polymerase III (hU6, hH1, mU6 and h7SK) promoters in a single vector to knockdown the FUT1 gene. Stable FUT1 knockdown transgenic fibroblast lines were generated by transfecting porcine fetal fibroblasts with the constructed vectors. Real-time RT-PCR indicated that the mRNA level of FUT1 in the transgenic fibroblast lines was significantly lower than that in the control, as much as 29 %. Finally, we successfully obtained transgenic SCNT porcine embryos. Overall, the results demonstrated that this vector-based RNAi expression system is an efficient approach to knockdown FUT1 gene expression in porcine fetal fibroblast cells, which could thereby provide donor cells for somatic cell nuclear cloning and the potential production of a marker-free transgenic pig resistant to F18 related diseases. Furthermore, it also provides strong evidence that this approach could be useful both in the production of transgenic livestock resistant to disease, and in the development of effective strategies for the suppression of gene expression in clinical gene therapy.     

Rapid determination of hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyl transferase in human fibroblasts and amniotic cells

Summary A micromodification of the method of HGPRT and APRT assay is described, which measures the incorporation of ¹⁴C hypoxanthine and ¹⁴C adenine into cultured skin fibroblasts and amniotic cells grown on microtiter plates. Only about 10 000 cells are needed per assay. By this method HGPRT deficient cells can be easily distinguished from normal cells. Investigations with respect to the effect of substrate concentrations and time of incubation have been carried out on some normal fibroblast cell lines, amniotic cell lines and 3 Lesch-Nyhan cell lines.Another modified method is described for quantitative determination of HGPRT activity by means of radio thin-layer chromatography.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn-Bad Godesberg.     

Partial hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase deficiency with full expression of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

Summary A patient with the full clinical expression of the classical Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is presented with a residual hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) activity of 5–10% in erythrocyte lysate and about 30% in fibroblast lysate. The activities of other erythrocyte enzymes of purine metabolism were typical for a classical Lesch-Nyhan patient. The effects of allopurinol therapy on the excretion of urinary purine metabolites were studied by a newly developed isotachophoretic technique.The unusually high residual activity of HGPRT in erythrodytes and fibroblasts of the patient enabled the enzymologic characterization of the mutant enzyme: in fibroblasts the affinities for the substrates hypoxanthine and guanine were normal. However, there was an increased apparent K _m for phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP), a complete absence of product inhibition by IMP and GMP, and a decreased heat stability. Addition of PRPP did not stabilize the mutant enzyme. In addition to the altered properties of the fibroblast enzyme, the K _m of the erythrocyte enzyme for hypoxanthine was also increased.Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed the presence of an approximately normal amount of material cross-reacting with anti-human HGPRT antiserum. However, it appeared that this cross-reacting material had a decreased stability. When intact erythrocytes were incubated with radiolabeled purine bases, no formation of IMP or GMP could be detected, despite the relatively high residual activity of HGPRT in the hemolysate. The results fit the following hypothesis: as a consequence of a structural mutation affecting the PRPP-site of the enzyme and a decreased heat stability, the activity of the mutant enzyme under in vivo conditions is virtually zero.In the erythrocytes of the patient's mother a normal HGPRT-activity was found. However, the activity in her fibroblasts was lower than normal, while a decreased heat stability and an intermediate behavior towards IMP could be shown.Hair root analysis of several members of the patient's family confirmed the heterozygosity of the mother, whereas no other heterozygotes could be detected. The family anamnesis did not show other cases of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. These findings were taken as evidence that the patient described in this paper might represent a mutation orginating from the gametes in either of the maternal grandparents.     

Characterization of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase in man-mouse somatic cell hybrids by an improved electrophoretic method

The hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) activity in a group of man-mouse somatic cell hybrids, produced by Sendai virus-mediated cell fusion and HAT selection, has been analyzed by a new electrophoretic technique. Evidence is presented which shows that the hybrid lines derived from fusion of a mouse fibroblast deficient in HGPRT with various human cell strains have an HGPRT activity that is characteristic of the human enzyme, whereas a hybrid line derived from a mouse fibroblast which is deficient in thymidine kinase has an HGPRT activity characteristic of the mouse. This new technique involves electrophoresis of cell extracts on cellulose acetate gel, followed by the localization of the enzyme activity by autoradiography.This research was supported in part by a research grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (No. GM-13415).     

A comparison of the radiation-induced mutation at the HGPRT locus in V79 and BHK cells

Mutation response at the HGPRT locus has been compared in two differing cell lines: V79/4, an aneuploid Chinese-hamster fibroblast line with a complement of 20 chromosomes, and BHK21-C13, a diploid Syrian-hamster fibroblast line with a complement of 44 chromosomes. The data presented show that BHK is slightly more radiosensitive than V79/4; however, the toxicity curves and expression times are similar for both cell lines. If radiosensitivity is taken into account, a common line can be drawn for radiation mutagenesis. We conclude from the data that radiation-induced mutagenesis is broadly equivalent in the two cell lines examined, and is not dependent on the chromosome complement.     

Human papilloma virus E6/E7 genes can expand the lifespan of human corneal fibroblasts

Summary Human corneal fibroblasts were infected with a retroviral delivery vector containing the E6 and E7 genes from human Papilloma virus type 16 in order to produce cell lines that have an expanded lifespan in culture. Morphologically, some of the trasfected corneal fibroblast lines appeared to have the normal spindle-shape morphology of diploid fibroblasts, whereas other lines appeared to have a more elongated morphology. All the cell lines were anchorage-dependent. Cells that had a normal morphology grew at a rate similar to normal diploid human corneal fibroblasts and had a population doubling time of 48 h. All E6/E7 expressing cell lines, regardless of morphology, produce types I, III, and V collagen, at levels similar to those observed in the parent corneal diploid fibroblast. These corneal fibroblast lines will be a usefulin vitro system to study collagen expression and fibril formation, as well as normal stroma development. These results also demonstrate that the use of E6/E7 genes to expand a cell’s lifespan can be a powerful tool because it does not appear to alter either the growth rate of the cell or collagen expression.     

Mutagenic effect of BUdR in diploid human fibroblasts

It has only recently been possible to demonstrate the expected mutagenic effect of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) in heteroploid hamster cells in culture. We have now extended this observation to diploid human fibroblasts utilizing techniques adapted from the work of Albertini and DeMars on X-ray mutagenesis at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) locus in these cells. In four separate experiments, fibroblasts from a female donor were exposed to 500 micrograms/ml ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS) or 3 micrograms/ml BUdR yielding survivals of 9% and 5%, respectively. After a 6-day expression period, survivors were plated in selection medium containing 0.3 micrograms/ml 8-azaguanine (8-AG). After 3-5 weeks, azaguanine-resistant colonies were isolated for characterization or stained for counting. The average spontaneous mutation rate/cell/generation was 0.6.10(-6). The average induced mutation rates for EMS and BUdR were 7.8.10(-6) and 6.3.10(-6)/cell/generation, respectively. Similar results were obtained in two experiments with an additional fibroblast line. Mutant colonies isolated following BUdR treatment demonstrated from 1.4 to 61.5% of the HGPRT activity of the parental line and showed at least 8% Barr bodies, excluding the possibility of contamination by Lesch-Nyhan cells. This demonstration of a BUdR effect comparable to that of an alkylating agent or X-irradiation opens the study of mutation due to base-analog substitution in diploid human cells.     

Immunochemical studies with a specific antiserum to rabbit fibroblast collagenase.

1. Antisera were raised against the collagenase from rabbit synovial fibroblasts and characterized by immunoprecipitation and immunoinhibition reactions. 2. Immunoglobulins from the antisera were potent inhibitors of the action of rabbit collagenase on both reconstituted collagen fibrils and collagen in solution. 3. The antibody-binding fragment, Fab', produced by digesting the IgG (immunoglobulin G) with pepsin, inhibited collagenase activity just as well as whole IgG. 4. A specific antiserum to the rabbit collagenase was raised by a multi-step procedure. An initial antiserum was made by injecting partially purified collagenase as a complex with sheep alpha2-macroglobulin into a sheep. The non-specific antiserum so obtained was used to produce precipitin lines with the purified enzyme, and these lines were used as antigen for the production of the specific antiserum. 5. An IgG preparation from the specific antiserum was a specific and potent inhibitor of the rabbit synovial fibroblast collagenase. Neutral metallo-proteinase activity secreted by the rabbit fibroblasts was not inhibited by the antibody to the rabbit collagenase. 6. Criteria for determination of the specificity of antisera are discussed.