Transgenic mice can express mutant human coagulation factor IX with higher level of clotting activity

Biochem Genet. 2006 Oct;44(7-8):349-60. doi: 10.1007/s10528-006-9034-1. Epub 2006 Sep 21.

Abstract

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 beta-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 mug/mL and 1287% in one founder (F(0)-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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Caseins / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Factor IX / genetics*
  • Factor IX / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genetic Engineering / methods
  • Goats
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Mammary Glands, Animal
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Milk / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Whole Blood Coagulation Time

Substances

  • Caseins
  • Factor IX