Establishment of a DsRed-monomer-harboring ICR transgenic mouse model and effects of the transgene on tissue development

Chin J Physiol. 2015 Feb 28;58(1):27-37. doi: 10.4077/CJP.2015.BAC264.

Abstract

DsRed-monomer is an enhanced red fluorescent protein that may serve as a marker for studies in biotechnology and cell biology. Since the ICR mouse strain is a widely utilized outbred strain for oncology, toxicology, vaccine development and for aging studies, the objective of this study was to produce a DsRed-monomer transgenic mouse by means of pronuclear micro-injection of a vector driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer/chicken beta-actin promoter. Four transgenic mice were successfully produced, one of which expressed the DsRed-monomer protein in every tissue, although at varying levels. High expression levels were observed in the heart, pancreas and muscle. Moreover, amniotic fluid-derived progenitor cells, which also expressed the DsRed-monomer protein, could be collected from the DsRed-monomer- harboring ICR mice. As compared to wild-type mice, a few biochemical and histological dissimilarities were found in the DsRed-monomer transgenic mice, including the presence of intra-cytoplasmic eosinophilic threadlike materials in the acinar cells. Taken together, transgenic mice stably expressing DsRed-monomer can be produced using pronuclear micro-injection; however, expression of the DsRed-monomer gene or its insertion position may lead to minor influences.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fluorescent Dyes*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Mice, Transgenic*
  • Microinjections
  • Transgenes*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • fluorescent protein 583