Development of Transgenic Mice Expressing Calcitonin as a Beta-lactoglobulin Fusion Protein in Mammary Gland

Expression of foreign proteins in mammalian milk is becoming a widespread strategy for high-level production of recombinant pharmaceuticals, especially those with the most complex post-translational modifications. A milk-specific ovine beta-lactoglobulin (oBLG) promoter was used to drive expression of recombinant calcitonin in mouse milk. A gene construct was generated, consisting of 10.7 kbp of the oBLG gene including its promoter and 3′ flanking region with the calcitonin coding sequences inserted in-frame into the oBLG fifth exon. After microinjection, six founder mice transmitted the transgene to their progeny. RT-PCR confirmed mammary-gland specific expression of recombinant mRNA in most transgenic mice and Western blot analysis confirmed expression of chimeric protein. Calcitonin can thus be expressed under the oBLG promoter and regulatory elements in a mammary-gland specific manner.     

人促血小板生成素在转基因小鼠乳腺中定位表达的研究(英文)

通过转基因动物乳腺生物反应器大规模生产药用蛋白质已成为现代生物技术新的生长点之一。为研制表达人促血小板生成素的哺乳动物生物反应器的转基因小鼠模型,本论文以小鼠乳清酸蛋白 (mWAP) 基因5挾说骺厍团-s1-酪蛋白基因3挾说骺厍魑鹘谠菇擞糜诒泶锶舜傺“迳伤氐娜橄僮橹匾煨员泶镌靥錺WAPTPO(Fig.1)。通过常规显微注射的方法把mWAP启动子指导的hTPO表达载体导入小鼠受精卵,获得出生小鼠16只。经PCR检测,有6只为转基因阳性(Fig.2)。G0代小鼠中转基因整合率为37.5% (6/16),用ELISA方法在G0代转基因雌鼠的乳汁中检测了促血小板生成素的表达,表达量在0.8 mg/mL以上(Table 1)。这些结果表明我们已建立了乳腺表达hTPO 的转基因小鼠模型,为以后大型家畜乳腺生物反应器的研制提供了科学依据。     

Construct synthetic gene encoding artificial spider dragline silk protein and its expression in milk of transgenic mice

Based on the known partial cDNA sequence of dragline silk protein an artificial gene monomer, a 360 bp sequence, was designed and polymerized to encode an analog of dragline silk protein. Six tandem copies of monomer were cloned into pBC1 vector and microinjected into the pronuclei of fertilized Kunming White eggs. Transgenic mice were screened by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Southern blot which revealed that 10 mice (5 male, 5 female) among 58 mice were transgenic positive. Milk of five F0 mice and eight F1 mice was analyzed by Western blot, and two F0 mice and seven F1 mice expressed recombinant dragline silk protein. In transgenic mice milk a maximum of concentration of recombinant dragline silk protein was 11.7 mg/L by radioimmunoassay.     

Human parathyroid hormone as a secretory peptide in milk of transgenic mice

In a transgenic mouse model we have targeted the expression of recombinant human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) to the mammary gland yielding hPTH as a secretory, soluble peptide in milk. A 2.5 kb upstream regulatory sequence of the murine whey acidic protein (WAP) directed the expression of the hPTH cDNA in a fusion gene construct (WAPPTHSV2) containing the SV40 small t-antigen intron and polyadenylation site in the 3′ end. Established lines of transgenic mice secreted hPTH to milk in concentrations up to 415 ng/ml. Recombinant hPTH recovered from the milk was purified by HPLC and shown to be identical to hPTH standard as analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting. Expression of the WAPPTHSV2 was limited to the mammary gland as analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot of reversed transcribed mRNA from different tissues. hPTH is an important bone anabolic hormone and may be a potentially important pharmaceutical for treatment of demineralization disorders such as osteoporosis. We present the transgenic animal as a possible production system for hPTH. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Expression of recombinant human factor VIII in milk of several generations of transgenic rabbits

Transgenic founder rabbits carrying a gene construct consisting of a 2.5 kb murine whey acidic protein promoter (mWAP), 7.2 kb of the human clotting factor VIII (hFVIII) cDNA and 4.6 kb of 3′ flanking sequences of mWAP gene were crossed for three generations. All transgenic animals showed stable transgene transmission. Transgenic females showed high level of recombinant hFVIII (rhFVIII) mRNA expression in biopsed mammary gland tissues, while marginal expression of rhFVIII mRNA was observed in the spleen, lung and brain. No adverse effects of ectopic expression on the physiology of the rabbits were observed. Expression was not detected in the liver, kidney, heart and skeletal muscle. In transgenic females derived from three generations, rhFVIII protein was secreted from the mammary gland of lactating females, as shown by Western blotting. Biological activity of rhFVIII protein, as revealed in clotting assays was ranged from 0.012 to 0.599 IU/ml corresponding to 1.2% and 59.9% of the hFVIII level in normal human plasma. No apparent effect of secreted rhFVIII on the milk performance of rabbits was observed. Our results confirm the possibility of producing a significant amount of a biologically active rhFVIII in the mammary gland of established transgenic rabbit lines.     

Bovine αs1-casein gene sequences direct high level expression of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the milk of transgenic mice

The generation is reported of transgenic mice expressing human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or human erythropoietin (EPO) under the control of bovine s1- casein regulatory sequences. GM-CSF expression was specific to the mammary gland, and levels of human GM-CSF in transgenic mouse milk were in the range of mg ml–1. The specific activity of the milk GM-CSF was similar to that of the recombinant protein produced in Escherichia coli, and the glycosylation-derived size heterogeneity corresponded to that of the native human protein. In spite of the identical bovine regulatory sequences of the fusion genes, the levels of human EPO in transgenic mouse milk were 103--106 times lower than those of GM-CSF, ranging from 0.003 to 3 g ml–1. There appeared to be a positive correlation between the amount of EPO in the milk of lactating females and blood haematocrit values. In view of this, other type of constructs should be used to achieve more efficient EPO expression and to circumvent concomitantly-occurring adverse effects. In contrast, the high-level production of recombinant GM-CSF, its resemblance to the native mammalian protein, and mild adverse consequences of transgene expression imply that the current construct could be used for generation of larger GM-CSF transgenic anim als to produce this protein in quantities sufficient for therapeutic purposes     

Recombinant human bile salt-stimulated lipase: an example of defectiveO-glycosylation of a protein produced in milk of transgenic mice

The expression of recombinant human bile salt-stimulated lipase (bssl) was targeted to the lactating mammary gland of transgenic mice. Expression of recombinant genes comprisingbssl cDNA, or alternatively genomicbssl DNA, under control of regulatory elements derived from the murine whey acidic protein (wap) gene was achieved and evaluated. Constructs containing genomicbssl sequences mediated high levels (0.5–1, mg ml^–1) of recombinant human BSSL in the milk. The recombinant BSSL produced was purified, biochemically characterized and compared to native BSSL and recombinant BSSL produced in mouse C127 and hamster CHO cells. Recombinant BSSL derived from transgenic mice showed a different migration and distribution after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, lower apparent molecular mass on size-exclusion chromatography and no detectable interactions with a panel of lectins. These results indicate a significantly lower degree ofO-glycosylation of recombinant BSSL in milk from transgenic mice than was found for the native enzyme or recombinant CHO- or C127 cell-produced BSSL. Despite these differences, mouse-milk-derived recombinant BSSL exhibited similar lipase activity, the same, stability to low pH and similar sensitivity to elevated temperatures as the native enzyme. The observation that mouse-C127-cell-produced recombinant BSSL is heavilyO-glycosylated makes species-related restrictions less attractive as an explanation for the reducedO-glycosylation.     

Production of biologically active human granulocyte colony stimulating factor in the milk of transgenic goat

We have developed a transgenic female goat harboring goat beta-casein promoter/human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) fusion gene by microinjection into fertilized one-cell goat zygotes. Human G-CSF was produced at levels of up to 50g/ml in transgenic goat milk. Its biological activity was equivalent to recombinant human G-CSF expressed from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell when assayed using in vitro HL-60 cell proliferation. Human G-CSF from transgenic goat milk increased the total number of white blood cells in C57BL/6N mice with leucopenia induced by cyclophosphamide (CPA). The secreted human G-CSF was glycosylated although the degree of O-glycosylation was lower compared to CHO cell-derived human G-CSF.     

Transgenic Mice Can Express Mutant Human Coagulation Factor IX with Higher Level of Clotting Activity

To improve the available values of transgenic animals, we produced a mutant human coagulation factor IX minigene (including cDNA and intron I) with arginine at 338 changed to alanine (R338A-hFIX) by using a direct mutation technique. The R338A-hFIX minigene was then cloned into a plasmid carrying the goat β-casein promoter to get a mammary gland-specific expression vector. The clotting activity in the supernatant of the transfected HC-11 cells increased to approximately three times more than that of wild-type hFIX. Nine transgenic mice (three females and six males) were produced, and the copy number of the foreign gene was very different, ranging from 1 to 43 in different lines. ELISA, Western blot, and clotting assay experiments showed that the transgenic mice could express R338A-hFIX, showing higher average levels of clotting activity than wild-type hFIX in the milk (103.76% vs. 49.95%). The highest concentration and clotting activity of hFIX reached 26 μg/mL and 1287% in one founder (F₀-7), which was over 10 times higher than that in human plasma. Furthermore, RT-PCR, APTT assay, and histological analysis indicated that hFIX was expressed specifically in the mammary gland without affecting the intrinsic coagulation pathway and physiologic performance of the local tissue.     

Production of low-lactose milk by ectopic expression of intestinal lactase in the mouse mammary gland

We have investigated, in mice, an in vivo method for producing low-lactose milk, based on the creation of transgenic animals carrying a hybrid gene in which the intestinal lactase-phlorizin hydrolase cDNA was placed under the control of the mammary-specific alpha-lactalbumin promoter. Transgenic females expressed lactase protein and activity during lactation at the apical side of mammary alveolar cells. Active lactase was also secreted into milk, anchored in the outer membrane of fat globules. Lactase synthesis in the mammary gland caused a significant decrease in milk lactose (50-85%) without obvious changes in fat and protein concentrations. Sucklings nourished with low-lactose milk developed normally. Hence, these data validate the use of transgenic animals expressing lactase in the mammary gland to produce low-lactose milk in vivo, and they demonstrate that the secretion of an intestinal digestive enzyme into milk can selectively modify its composition.     

性别及日龄对转人神经生长因子基因小鼠唾液中蛋白分泌的影响

神经生长因子(Nerve growth factor,NGF)是一种能促进神经元发育、分化、再生的蛋白。为高效生产药效更佳的人源NGF (hNGF)药物,最近,笔者实验室构建出唾液腺特异表达hNGF的转基因小鼠,并从该转基因小鼠唾液中纯化获得具有高生物学活性的h NGF蛋白。为了选择性别和日龄最适宜的转hNGF基因小鼠用于收集纯化hNGF蛋白,文中比较了28日龄(性成熟前)雄性、雌性,63日龄(性成熟后)雄性、雌性转hNGF基因小鼠,共4组转hNGF基因小鼠分泌的唾液量、唾液总蛋白量、唾液鼠源NGF (mNGF)蛋白量和唾液h NGF蛋白量等指标。结果显示,63日龄的转hNGF基因小鼠分泌的唾液量、唾液总蛋白量、唾液mNGF蛋白量和唾液hNGF蛋白量显著高于28日龄同一性别的转hNGF基因小鼠,且63日龄的雄性转hNGF基因小鼠分泌的唾液hNGF蛋白量显著高于同一日龄的雌性转hNGF基因小鼠;在4组小鼠中,63日龄的雄性转hNGF基因小鼠分泌的唾液hNGF含量最高,比28日龄雌性转hNGF基因小鼠高出约46倍,最适宜用于收集唾液并从中纯化hNGF。     

乳腺特异高表达人促红细胞生成素转基因奶山羊的制备

目的制备乳腺特异性高表达人促红细胞生成素（hEPO）转基因奶山羊。方法采用牛β-乳球蛋白基因（BLG）调控元件和hEPO全长编码序列基因组DNA构建真核表达载体,应用受精卵原核注射的方法制备hEPO转基因山羊。结果在原核注射获得的188头羔羊中,经Southern blot法检测有4头羊含有hEPO基因,其中3头为母羊,1头公羊于出生后20d死亡;3头转基因母羊hEPO基因的拷贝数分别为1、10、2;Western blot检测结果显示转基因羊乳中的hEPO分子质量为32kDa;MTT法检测结果表明,在泌乳10d的3只转基因羊乳汁中,每毫升乳汁中hEPO活性分别达到1.17×10^2IU、1.90×10^4IU、1.91×10^4IU。结论牛BLG能够调控hEPO基因在山羊乳腺中高表达,为实现其他药用蛋白在山羊乳腺中表达奠定了基础。     

凝血因子IX基因剔除小鼠的遗传及血液学指标检测

目的　鉴定凝血因子IX基因剔除小鼠。方法　采用PCR扩增检测小鼠的DNA样品以及采用一期法检定小鼠血浆FIX活性和血浆凝血酶原时间 (plasmaprothrombintime ,PT)、白陶土部分凝血活酶时间 (Kaolinpartialthromboplastintime ,KPTT)值。结果　小鼠PCR检测为阳性 ,FIX活性 <5 %。结论　凝血因子IX基因剔除小鼠能稳定遗传 ,鉴定结果提示该小鼠符合人血友病B相应临床症状。     

Virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibody expressed in milk of transgenic mice provides full protection against virus-induced encephalitis

Neutralizing antibodies represent a major host defense mechanism against viral infections. In mammals, passive immunity is provided by neutralizing antibodies passed to the offspring via the placenta or the milk as immunoglobulin G and secreted immunoglobulin A. With the long-term goal of producing virus-resistant livestock, we have generated mice carrying transgenes that encode the light and heavy chains of an antibody that is able to neutralize the neurotropic JHM strain of murine hepatitis virus (MHV-JHM). MHV-JHM causes acute encephalitis and acute and chronic demyelination in susceptible strains of mice and rats. Transgene expression was targeted to the lactating mammary gland by using the ovine beta-lactoglobulin promoter. Milk from these transgenic mice contained up to 0.7 mg of recombinant antibody/ml. In vitro analysis of milk derived from different transgenic lines revealed a linear correlation between antibody expression and virus-neutralizing activity, indicating that the recombinant antibody is the major determinant of MHV-JHM neutralization in murine milk. Offspring of transgenic and control mice were challenged with a lethal dose of MHV-JHM. Litters suckling nontransgenic dams succumbed to fatal encephalitis, whereas litters suckling transgenic dams were fully protected against challenge, irrespective of whether they were transgenic. This demonstrates that a single neutralizing antibody expressed in the milk of transgenic mice is sufficient to completely protect suckling offspring against MHV-JHM-induced encephalitis.     

Maternally transmitted milk containing recombinant human catalase provides protection against oxidation for mouse offspring during lactation

Catalase plays an important role in protecting organisms against oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) by degrading surplus hydrogen peroxide. Addition of exogenous catalase can alleviate injuries caused by ROS. Thus, production of human catalase through genetic engineering will meet the increasing therapeutic demand for this enzyme. In this study, we successfully expressed the recombinant gene in mouse mammary gland, and biologically active human catalase was secreted into the milk of the transgenic mice. The peroxisomal targeting sequence (PTS) within the catalase gene had no significant negative effect on the secretion of the recombinant protein. Intake of the transgenic milk by the pups was found to decrease lipid peroxidation, increase the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in the brain, and enhance the total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) of brain, liver, and serum. To our knowledge, this is the first example of efficient production of biologically active human catalase in the milk of transgenic animals. Our study suggests that scaled-up production in transgenic farm animals would yield sufficient human catalase for biomedical research and clinical therapies.     

Characterization of recombinant human factor IX expressed in transgenic mice and in derived trans-immortalized hepatic cell lines.

Transgenic mice were generated in which 5 kb of the 5' flanking promoter region of the human Factor IX (FIX) gene fused to various FIX constructs (gene, minigene and cDNA) were stably integrated in the germ line. Several transgenic mouse lines expressed high circulating levels of active and correctly processed recombinant human FIX. The presence of at least one FIX intron had a positive effect on the expression. The FIX transgenes were expressed in a tissue-specific manner in the liver of transgenic mice. By crossing transgenic mice synthesizing FIX with others prone to develop hepatoma, progeny which co-express the transgenes in hepatocytes were obtained. Hepatoma-derived cell lines were shown to have a differentiated phenotype and secrete active human FIX for many generations.     

Rabbit whey acidic protein gene upstream region controls high-level expression of bovine growth hormone in the mammary gland of transgenic mice

Transgenic mice were produced which secreted high levels of bGH into milk. The 6.3-kb upstream region of the rabbit whey acidic protein (rWAP) gene was linked to the structural part of the bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene, and the chimeric gene was introduced into mouse oocytes. bGH was detected by radioimmunoassay in the milk of all resulting transgenic mice. bGH concentrations in milk varied from line to line, from 1.0–16 mg/ml. This expression was not correlated to the number of transgene copies. In all lines studied, the mammary gland was the major organ expressing bGH mRNA during lactation. bGH mRNA concentrations were barely detectable in the mammary gland of cyclic females; they increased during pregnancy. These results show that the upstream region of the rWAP gene harbors powerful regulatory elements which target high levels of bGH transgene expression to the mammary gland of lactating transgenic mice. © 1995 wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A 3,387?bp 5′-flanking sequence of the goat alpha-S1-casein gene provides correct tissue-specific expression of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (hG-CSF) in the mammary gland of transgenic mice

A new expression vector containing the 1,944 bp 5'-flanking regulatory region together with exon 1 and intron 1 of the goat alpha-S1-casein gene (CSN1S1), the full-sized human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor gene (hGCSF) and the 3'-flanking sequence of the bovine CSN1S1, was created. The vector DNA was used for generation of four mouse transgenic lines. The transgene was integrated into chromosomes 8 and 12 of two founders as 2 and 5 copies, respectively. Tissue-specific secretion of hG-CSF into the milk of transgenic mice was in the range of 19-40 μg/ml. RT-PCR analysis of various tissues of the transgenic mice demonstrated that expression of hGCSF was detected in only the mammary gland in the progeny of all founders. Moreover, cells were shown to be positive for hG-CSF by immunofluorescent analysis in the mammary glands but not in any other tissues. There were no signs of mosaic expression in the mammary gland. Trace amounts of hG-CSF were detected in the serum of females of two transgenic lines during lactation only. However, no transgenic mice showed any changes in hematopoiesis based on the number of granulocytes in blood. Immunoblotting of hG-CSF in the milk of transgenic mice revealed two forms, presumably the glycosylated and non-glycosylated forms. The hematopoietic activity of hG-CSF in the milk of transgenic females is comparable to that of recombinant G-CSF. In general, the data obtained in this study show that the new expression vector is able to provide correct tissue-specific expression of hG-CSF with high biological activity in transgenic mice.