Ectopic expression of Thy-1 in the kidneys of transgenic mice induces functional and proliferative abnormalities.
Hybrid human--mouse Thy-1.1 genes were injected into pronuclei of Thy-1.2 mice to produce transgenic animals. A hybrid gene composed of the 5' part of the mouse Thy-1.1 gene combined with the 3' human untranslated regions was expressed abnormally in the kidney podocytes, which resulted in severe protein-uria and subsequent death in several founder mice. A hybrid Thy-1 gene composed of the human coding region with the 5' and 3' flanking regions of the mouse gene was expressed abnormally in a different part of the kidney (the tubular epithelia), which resulted in a proliferative kidney disorder. In addition, a neoplasm was found in the brain of one of these mice. These results show that the Thy-1 protein can play an important role in the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of many different cell types.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000276:immunology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007518:Isoantibodies; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; C035678:anti-Thy antibody