基因编辑动物模型在人类疾病研究中的应用

近年来,随着以CRISPR/Cas9为代表的多种CRISPR系统的开发和不断改进,基因编辑技术逐渐完善,并广泛应用于人类疾病动物模型的制备。基因编辑动物模型为人类疾病的发病机理、病理过程以及预防和治疗等方面的研究提供了重要的素材。目前,用于人类疾病研究的基因编辑动物模型主要有小鼠、大鼠为代表的啮齿类动物模型和以猪为代表的大动物模型。其中啮齿类动物在机体各方面与人类差别较大,且寿命短,无法对人类疾病的研究和治疗提供有效评估和长期追踪;而猪在生理学、解剖学、营养学和遗传学等各方面与人类更接近,是器官移植和人类疾病研究领域重要的动物模型。文中主要介绍了基因编辑动物模型在神经退行性疾病、肥厚心肌病、癌症、免疫缺陷类疾病和代谢性疾病等5种人类疾病研究中的应用情况,以期为人类疾病研究及相关动物模型的制备提供参考。

Gene edited animal models applied in human disease research

Recently, with the development and the continuous improvement of various CRISPR systems represented by CRISPR/Cas9, gene editing technology has been gradually improved, and widely applied to the preparation of animal models of human diseases. The gene edited animal models provide important materials for the study of pathogenesis, pathological process, prevention and treatment of human diseases. At present, the gene edited animal models used in human disease research include mainly the rodent models represented by mice and rats, and large animal models represented by pigs. Among them, rodents differ greatly from humans in all aspects of their bodies and have short life span as well, which cannot provide effective evaluation and long-term tracking for the research and treatment of human diseases. On the other hand, pig is closer to human in physiology, anatomy, nutrition and genetics, which provides an important animal model in the field of organ transplantation and human disease research. In this paper, the application of the gene edited animal models was summarized in the researches of 5 human diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cancer, immunodeficiency diseases and metabolic diseases. We hope this paper will provide a reference for the research of human diseases and the preparation of relative animal models.