Establishment of a SPF colony of human apo(a) transgenic rabbits by frozen-thawed embryo transfer.
In the present study, embryo transfer was performed using frozen-thawed embryos to establish a SPF colony of human apolipoprotein (a) (apo(a)) transgenic rabbits. Apo(a) transgenic rabbits were kept under conventional condition and were infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica. Embryos at the morula stage were collected and stored in liquid nitrogen. After thawing, the in vitro survival rate was 84.6%, and 125 morphologically normal embryos were transferred to 6 SPF recipient rabbits. Four rabbits became pregnant and 23 live pups were born. PCR and Western blot analyses revealed that 9 of 23 pups were transgenic and expressed apo(a) protein. Microbiological tests showed all rabbits were free from infections. We succeeded in establishing a SPF colony of apo(a) transgenic rabbits. These rabbits are now maintained under a barrier system and are available for medical research.
Watanabe
Nobuhiko
N
Biotek Co. Ltd., Tosu, Saga, Japan.
Nakagawa
Hiroshi
H
Kitajima
Shuji
S
Liu
Enqi
E
Morimoto
Masatoshi
M
Watanabe
Teruo
T
Fan
Jianglin
J
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000235:genetics*; D001885:Bordetella Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D016950:Bordetella bronchiseptica / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011817:Rabbits / Q000235:genetics*; D012098:Reproduction; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D015996:Survival Rate
D001054:Apolipoproteins A