Tissue specific high level expression of a full length human endogenous retrovirus genome transgene, HERV-R, under control of its own promoter in rats.
Human endogenous retrovirus-R (HERV-R) is one of a full length HERV with a long open reading frame in the env region. The env transcripts are expressed in various human tissues. To investigate the biological role of HERV-R in vivo, we established two lines of transgenic rats carrying a full sequence of HERV-R under control of its own long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter. One line with tandem integration of multiple copies of the transgene expressed HERV-R mRNA in various organs with different expression levels and relatively higher in Harderian and submandibular salivary glands. In another line, the transgene was integrated as a single copy in a haploid and the expression was detected only in Harderian and submandibular salivary glands. In the placenta, one of the tissues with high levels of the HERV-R expression in humans, the transcription was evident starting the 12th day after gestation. A rabbit antiserum against synthetic peptides corresponding with the HERV-R env gene sequence led to detection of an 85 kDa product as a glycoprotein in the Harderian glands. While no pathological significance was observed in either line, the transgenic rat may prove to be a suitable model for analyzing the role of HERV-R function in vivo.
Tanaka
Satoshi
S
Department of Pathology/Pathophysiology, Division of Pathophysiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Ikeda
Hitoshi
H
Otsuka
Noriyuki
N
Yamamoto
Yukiyo
Y
Sugaya
Toshiaki
T
Yoshiki
Takashi
T
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes
D012333:RNA, Messenger