Rabbit beta-casein promoter directs secretion of human interleukin-2 into the milk of transgenic rabbits.
To test the potential usefulness of transgenic rabbits as production systems for human proteins of pharmaceutical value, we cloned the rabbit beta-casein promoter and fused it to the genomic sequence of the human interleukin-2 (hIL2) gene. Four transgenic female rabbits were tested for expression and biological activity of the foreign protein in their milk. The milk of all four females proved to contain biologically active hIL2. The results show that transgenic rabbits may represent a convenient and economic system for the rapid production of biologically active protein in milk.
Bühler
T A
TA
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Institute for Animal Science, Basel.
Bruyère
T
T
Went
D F
DF
Stranzinger
G
G
Bürki
K
K
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002364:Caseins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011817:Rabbits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D002364:Caseins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008894:Milk Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins