title: Generation of an inbred miniature pig model of retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Pro23His (P23H) rhodopsin (RHO) mutation underlies the most common form of human autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). The objective of this investigation was to establish a transgenic miniature swine model of RP using the human P23H RHO gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) was used to create transgenic miniature pigs that expressed the human P23H RHO mutation. From these experiments, six transgenic founders were identified whose retinal function was studied with full-field electroretinography (ffERG) from 3 months through 2 years. Progeny from one founder were generated and genotyped to determine transgene inheritance pattern. Retinal mRNA was isolated, and the ratio of P23H to wild-type pig RHO was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A single transgene integration site was observed for five of the six founders. All founders had abnormal scotopic and photopic ffERGs after 3 months. The severity of the ffERG phenotype was grouped into moderately and severely affected groups. Offspring of one founder inherited the transgene as an autosomal dominant mutation. mRNA analyses demonstrated that approximately 80% of total RHO was mutant P23H.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression of the human RHO P23H transgene in the retina creates a miniature swine model with an inheritance pattern and retinal function that mimics adRP. This large-animal model can serve as a novel tool for the study of the pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention in the most common form of adRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fernandez de Castro
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rios
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bray-Ward
authors.forename: Bryan W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Marc
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.forename: Maureen A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: DeMarco
authors.forename: Randall S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Prather
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics*; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D012243:Rhodopsin