A canine model of Alzheimer's disease generated by overexpressing a mutated human amyloid precursor protein

Int J Mol Med. 2014 Apr;33(4):1003-12. doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1636. Epub 2014 Jan 28.

Abstract

Canines are considered the most authentic model for studying multifactorial human diseases, as these animals typically share a common environment with man. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology along with genetic engineering of nuclear donor cells provides a unique opportunity for examining human diseases using transgenic canines. In the present study, we generated transgenic canines that overexpressed the human amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene containing well-characterized familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) mutations. We successfully obtained five out of six live puppies by SCNT. This was confirmed by observing the expression of green fluorescence protein in the body as a visual transgenic marker and the overexpression of the mutated APP gene in the brain. The transgenic canines developed AD-like symptoms, such as enlarged ventricles, an atrophied hippocampus, and β-amyloid plaques in the brain. Thus, the transgenic canines we created can serve as a novel animal model for studying human AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dogs
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Genetic Vectors / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Thy-1 Antigens / genetics
  • Transgenes / genetics

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • Mutant Proteins
  • Thy-1 Antigens
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins