Efficient chromosomal transposition of a Tc1/mariner- like transposon Sleeping Beauty in mice.

The presence of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells makes the mouse a powerful model organism for reverse genetics, gene function study through mutagenesis of specific genes. In contrast, forward genetics, identification of mutated genes responsible for specific phenotypes, has an advantage to uncover novel pathways and unknown genes because no a priori assumptions are made about the mutated genes. However, it has been hampered in mice because of the lack of a system in which a large-scale mutagenesis and subsequent isolation of mutated genes can be performed efficiently. Here, we demonstrate the efficient chromosomal transposition of a Tc1/mariner-like transposon, Sleeping Beauty, in mice. This system allows germ-line mutagenesis in vivo and will facilitate certain aspects of phenotype-driven genetic screening in mice.

Requirement of DNase II for definitive erythropoiesis in the mouse fetal liver.

Mature erythrocytes in mammals have no nuclei, although they differentiate from nucleated precursor cells. The mechanism by which enucleation occurs is not well understood. Here we show that deoxyribonuclease II (DNase II) is indispensable for definitive erythropoiesis in mouse fetal liver. No live DNase II-null mice were born, owing to severe anemia. When mutant fetal liver cells were transferred into lethally irradiated wild-type mice, mature red blood cells were generated from the mutant cells, suggesting that DNase II functions in a non-cell-autonomous manner. Histochemical analyses indicated that the critical cellular sources of DNase II are macrophages present at the site of definitive erythropoiesis in the fetal liver. Thus, DNase II in macrophages appears to be responsible for destroying the nuclear DNA expelled from erythroid precursor cells.

Conditional gene targeting and its application in the skin.

The knockout mouse is one of the most useful experimental animal systems in which to clarify functions of identified genes in vivo. Numerous knockout mice have been produced, and studies in these models have revealed new aspects in various biological fields. In fair cases, however, mice died during embryogenesis due to complete gene disruption, making it difficult to elucidate functions of given genes in adulthood. To avoid this, conditional gene targeting has been performed and shown to be effective on numerous cases. Here, we will overview established strategies for conditional gene targeting and present the results of our recent studies using the Cre/loxP system in the skin.

A novel reporter mouse strain that expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein upon Cre-mediated recombination.

The success of Cre-mediated conditional gene targeting depends on the specificity of Cre recombinase expression in Cre-transgenic mouse lines. As a tool to evaluate the specificity of Cre expression, we developed a reporter transgenic mouse strain that expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) upon Cre-mediated recombination. We demonstrate that the progeny resulting from a cross between this reporter strain and a transgenic strain expressing Cre in zygotes show ubiquitous EGFP fluorescence. This reporter strain should be useful to monitor the Cre expression directed by various promoters in transgenic mice, including mice in which Cre is expressed transiently during embryogenesis under a developmentally regulated promoter.

Tissue-inherent fate of GPI revealed by GPI-anchored GFP transgenesis.

To clarify the fate of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) in mammals, we developed GPI-anchored enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP-GPI) and transgenic mice carrying this fusion construct. When it was introduced to culture cells, the EGFP-GPI protein was correctly sorted to plasma membranes and microsomes depending on GPI biosynthesis. Transgenic mice carrying EGFP-GPI were found to show a broad transgene expression. Histologically, a prominent polarized localization of EGFP-GPI protein was observed in various epithelia, the nervous system and liver and secreted from some exocrine glands, as well as non-polarized presence in non-epithelial tissues, demonstrating a tissue-inherent manner of GPI sorting.

Easy assessment of ES cell clone potency for chimeric development and germ-line competency by an optimized aggregation method.

Production of germ-line competent chimeric mice from embryonic stem (ES) cells is an inevitable step in establishing gene-manipulated mouse lineages. A common method used for creating chimeric mice is the injection of ES cells into the blastocoelic cavity (blastocyst injection). The aggregation method is an alternative way to introduce ES cells to the host embryo which is less difficult than blastocyst injection. Here we re-examined the condition of embryo-ES cell coculture on the aggregation method and found improvement of germ-line competent chimeric production by a simple modification of the coculture medium. Moreover, R1 ES cell and its 10 gene-manipulated subclones were tested by this method. Although all ES cell clones showed good morphology and a normal karyotype, the efficiency of chimeric development and germ-line transmission varied among clones and were classified into three grades according to germ-line competency. In the first group (class A), both the incidence of chimera with high ES cell contribution and the rate of germ-line transmission were fairly high. Germ-line competent chimeras were obtained but with rather low efficiency in the second group (class B), while another group (class C) showed an absence of high ES cell-contributed chimeras and no germ-line transmission. These results suggest the usefulness of this modified aggregation method to predict the potency of ES cell clones for germ-line competency.

Accumulation of murine amyloidbeta42 in a gene-dosage-dependent manner in PS1 'knock-in' mice.

The establishment of an animal model with a missense mutation of presenilin-1 (PS1) is an initial step toward understanding the molecular pathogenesis of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) and developing therapeutic strategies for the disease. We previously described a Japanese family with FAD caused by the I213T mutation of PS1, in which typical signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease were observed at the age of 45 +/- 4.2 years [Hardy, J. (1997) Trends. Neurosci., 20, 154-159; Kamino, K et al. (1996) Neurosci. Lett., 208, 195-198]. Here, we report the establishment of 'knock-in' mice with the I213T PS1 missense mutation. Northern blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses showed that the mutated PS1 allele was expressed at the same level as the endogenous PS1 allele, demonstrating that the PS1 missense mutation was successfully introduced into the mouse PS1 locus, and therefore that the situation mimics that in FAD patients bearing PS1 missense mutations. Amyloid beta (Abeta) 42(43) peptide, but not Abeta40 peptide, accumulated in 'knock-in' mice at the age of 16-20 weeks. A clear gene-dosage effect on the increase of Abeta42(43) was observed in 'knock-in' mice: the percentage increase of Abeta42(43) in mice with mutations in both alleles was twice as high as that in mice with a single allele. These results indicate that the level of the mutated PS1 gene expression is likely to be critically involved in the production of highly amyloidogenic Abeta42(43), and confirm that PS1 mutation has an important effect on amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, in proportion to the level of the expression of the mutant gene.

Myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein is essential for normal arrangement of the radial component in central nervous system myelin.

We previously reported that myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (MOBP) was abundantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) myelin, and shared several characteristics with myelin basic protein (MBP). In particular, a cluster of positively charged amino acids was considered to facilitate compaction of the cytoplasmic face of the myelin sheath, as in the case of MBP. However, the contribution of MOBP in forming and maintaining the myelin sheath still remains unclear. Recent investigations showed that one isoform of MOBP was expressed in the embryo prior to myelination, and MOBP isoforms were colocalized with the microtubular network and nucleus in vitro. To explore the role of MOBP in vivo, we generated MOBP-deficient mice and analysed the CNS myelin. Surprisingly, the compact myelin was formed, however, the myelin from MOBP-deficient mice exposed to hexachlorophene, a known dysmyelinating agent, showed widening of the major dense lines. These results suggest that MOBP is not essential for myelin formation, but reinforces the apposition of the cytoplasmic faces of the myelin sheath. A striking phenotype of MOBP-deficient mice was the presence of the straight 'condensed' radial component. This component has been described as a tight junction-like complex running radially and zig-zag through the CNS myelin sheath between inner and outer mesaxons. These results suggest that MOBP is essential for normal arrangement of the radial component.

The mouse RecA-like gene Dmc1 is required for homologous chromosome synapsis during meiosis.

The mouse Dmc1 gene is an E. coli RecA homolog that is specifically expressed in meiosis. The DMC1 protein was detected in leptotene-to-zygotene spermatocytes, when homolog pairing likely initiates. Targeted gene disruption in the male mouse showed an arrest of meiosis of germ cells at the early zygotene stage, followed by apoptosis. In female mice lacking the Dmc1 gene, normal differentiation of oogenesis was aborted in embryos, and germ cells disappeared in the adult ovary. Meiotic chromosome analysis of Dmc1-deficient mouse spermatocytes revealed random spread of univalent axial elements without correct pairing between homologs. In rare cases, however, we observed complex pairing among nonhomologs. Thus, the mouse Dmc1 gene is required for homologous synapsis of chromosomes in meiosis.

Defective stratum corneum and early neonatal death in mice lacking the gene for transglutaminase 1 (keratinocyte transglutaminase).

The stratum corneum of the skin serves as an effective barrier for maintenance of the internal milieu against the external environment. At the cell periphery of the stratum corneum is the cell envelope, a highly insoluble membranous structure composed of precursor proteins cross-linked by epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine bonds. Transglutaminase 1 (TGase 1; keratinocyte TGase), a membrane-bound isozyme of the TGase family, has been proposed to catalyze this process of assembly. Deficient cross-linking of the cell envelope in some patients with the autosomal recessive skin disorder lamellar ichthyosis (LI) and several mutations of the TGase 1 gene that have been identified in families with LI suggest the importance of this gene in production of the cell envelope. In this study, we generated mice lacking the TGase 1 gene, and we report that they have erythrodermic skin with abnormal keratinization. In their stratum corneum, degradation of nuclei and keratohyalin F-granules was incomplete and cell envelope assembly was defective. The skin barrier function of TGase 1-null mice was markedly impaired, and these mice died within 4-5 h after birth. These results clearly demonstrate that the TGase 1 gene is essential to the development and maturation of the stratum corneum and to adaptation to the environment after birth. Thus, these TGase 1 knockout mice may be a useful model for severe cases of LI.

Human papillomavirus-induced carcinogenesis with p53 deficiency in mouse: novel lymphomagenesis in HPV16E6E7 transgenic mice mimicking p53 defect.

To investigate the transforming activity of human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 genes in vivo, we previously established transgenic mouse lines containing HPV16E6E7, in which male mice develop a Leydig cell tumors with a very high incidence. Because HPV-induced carcinogenesis is highly related to p53, we changed the dose of p53 gene in the transgenic lines by the mice crossing with p53-disrupted mice. The transgenic mice with homozygous wild-type p53 alleles developed only the testicular tumor, whereas novel T cell lymphomagenesis occurred in the heterozygous p53-disrupted E6E7 (p53+/-E6E7) transgenic mice. In this tumor and even in the normal spleen, the absence of p53 protein was observed, whereas the p53 mRNA was expressed with a normal size, suggesting the degradation of p53 protein in these tissues. These results suggest that HPV16E6 could stimulate p53 protein degradation in mouse cells and induced the lymphomagenesis in a manner indistinguishable from p53 deficiency.

Coexpression of multiple Sertoli cell and Leydig cell marker genes in the spontaneous testicular tumor of F344 rat: evidence for phenotypical bifurcation of the interstitial cell tumor.

The development of testicular tumor has been frequently observed in some laboratory rat strains. In the present study, we have further characterized the testicular tumor that spontaneously develops in the F344 rat (F344/Jcl). Tumor cells first appeared in the interstitium and developed into multifocal nodular lesions. In the later stage, the whole testes were occupied by tumor cells that consisted of three different types of cells in morphological appearance: large clear type, small eosinophilic type and intermediate type. To determine the character of these cells, we examined the expression of marker genes for Sertoli cells (e.g., transferrin) and Leydig cells (e.g., 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (3 beta-HSD 1)). Transferrin and 3 beta-HSD 1 mRNAs were found in all 8 tumor samples analyzed by northern blotting. By in situ hybridization, we observed a substantial amount of 3 beta-HSD 1 mRNA and little or no transferrin mRNA in the large clear cells. In contrast, the small eosinophilic cells showed little or no 3 beta-HSD 1 mRNA and a large amount of transferrin mRNA, suggesting that the tumor was a mixture of at least two types of cells. Other Sertoli cell marker genes, such as cyclic protein 2 and sulfated glycoprotein 2, were expressed in all 8 tumors analyzed, and testin and steel factor (SLF), the c-kit receptor ligand, were also expressed in some of the tumors (testin, 75%; SLF, 25%), while other Leydig cell markers, LH receptor and c-kit, were expressed in 87% and 80% of the tumors, respectively. These results indicate that the spontaneous testicular tumor of F344 rat is of interstitium origin, showing phenotypical bifurcation possibly via transdifferentiation.

Suppression of tumor growth by the 3' untranslated region of mel-18 in 3Y1 cells transformed by the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 18.

By introducing a cDNA library derived from rat embryonic fibroblast cells, we isolated several morphologically flat revertants of rat 3Y1 cells transformed by the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18). From one of the revertants, we recovered a 0.2-kb cDNA, N56, that suppresses the tumor growth of the transformed 3Y1 cells irrespective of the expression of the E6 and E7 genes. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was shown to be identical to that of the 3' untranslated region of a putative mammalian polycomb group gene, mel-18.

Abrogation of c-kit/Steel factor-dependent tumorigenesis by kinase defective mutants of the c-kit receptor: c-kit kinase defective mutants as candidate tools for cancer gene therapy.

The growth and survival of many types of cancer cells are known to be supported by specific growth factor/cytokine systems. Among these, the activation of c-kit receptor and its ligand steel factor participates in several types of human carcinogenesis. W mutations of laboratory mouse strains are loss of functional mutations of the c-kit receptor. To examine the validity of these mutants in investigating c-kit-mediated carcinogenesis and in the treatment of c-kit-dependent tumors, we introduced various W mutations (W, Wv, and W42) into a transgenic mouse strain carrying human papillomavirus oncogenes, in which c-kit/Steel-mediated tumorigenesis occurs with a very high incidence. In all transgenic strains carrying a W mutation, the c-kit deficiency affected the tumorgenic process to various degrees. Tumor development was markedly suppressed in transgenic strains carrying kinase defective mutations (Wv and W42) in a heterozygous condition. In null-type (W) heterozygous transgenic mice, tumorigenesis was suppressed at a lower level. Moreover, minimal focal legions or, in some cases, no focal legions were found in the testes of W/Wv heterozygous transgenic mice, showing a close relationship between tumor cell growth and the degree of c-kit inactivation. These results indicated that c-kit activity is a pivotal determinant of testicular tumor development and that the kinase defective mutants of c-kit are valuable for treating c-kit-dependent cancer, as well as for clarifying the c-kit-mediated carcinogenesis.

An in vivo model for receptor tyrosine kinase autocrine/paracrine activation: auto-stimulated KIT receptor acts as a tumor promoting factor in papillomavirus-induced tumorigenesis.

Constitutive overactivation of growth factor receptors through autocrine/paracrine mechanisms occurs frequently in cancer cells and are thought to play a critical role in carcinogenesis. In the present report, we propose a refined in vivo model which explains the significance of these mechanisms in tumour development. We have previously established transgenic mouse lines containing human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6E7 oncogenes, in male mice of which a Leydig cell tumor developes with a very high incidence. Not only HPV transgene but also the c-kit proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand Steel Factor (SLF) were coexpressed in all tumors analysed. This coexpression of c-kit/SLF was also found in two other Leydig cell tumor lines. Moreover, the proliferation of transgenic tumor cells was attenuated by treatment with a c-kit neutralizing antibody in vitro, strongly suggesting that tumorigenesis is closely related to stimulation of receptors through ligand induction. To confirm the significance of these findings, a defective mutation of the SLF gene in a laboratory mouse, the Steel-Dickey (Sld) mutation, was introduced into a line of transgenic mice showing 100% incidence of the tumor. In Sld-E6E7 transgenic mice, tumorigenesis was initiated but numbers of tumor cells were markedly reduced compared with transgenic mice carrying both wild type SLF allele, showing that c-kit activation through the induction of SLF is essential for testicular tumorigenesis, especially in tumour promotion. This transgenic mice system should be a useful in vivo model for clarifying the implication of growth factor autostimulation in carcinogenesis.

Transgenic models for papillomavirus-associated multistep carcinogenesis.

To investigate the physiological and pathological in vivo functions of molecularly cloned genes, the transgenic mouse is one of the most useful experimental animal systems. Many kinds of transgenic mice carrying papillomavirus genes have been produced, and the studies have revealed several new aspects in the field of papillomaviral oncology. Among these transgenic mice, the mechanism of skin carcinogenis in the bovine papillomavirus (BPV) transgenic mouse has been well characterized, demonstrating that numbers of genetic alterations in specific cellular genes were deeply involved in tumor progression as well as in the expression of transforming genes encoded by the viral genome. Comparable mechanisms were found in testicular tumorigenesis in the HPV 16 E6E7 transgenic mouse. Here we discuss the mechanism of testicular tumorigenesis in the HPV 16 E6E7 transgenic mouse together with that of skin carcinogenesis in the BPV transgenic mouse in order to clarify some part of papillomavirus-associated carcinogenesis.

Establishment and further characterization of a line of transgenic mice showing testicular tumorigenesis at 100% incidence.

We have reported production of transgenic mice containing human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E6 and E7 oncogenes in which a characteristic testicular tumor develops at a very high incidence. Three transgenic mice transmitted the transgene to their siblings, in which the same type of tumor developed. In one line, named line 181, this testicular tumor developed in all the 93 males obtained for 10 generations. In most cases, this tumor was detectable bilaterally in the testes 9 to 10 months postdelivery. On cross-matings with other inbred strains, the HPV transgene was dominant in all the genetic backgrounds examined. In the condition of experimental cryptorchidism, obvious delay of tumor formation was observed. In these testes, the tumor cells were seen to arise from the interstitium. Moreover, this tumor also manifested obvious expression of gonadal specific 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD) and other enzymes for androgen metabolism. These observations strongly suggest that this tumor has originated from Leydig cells. This transgenic mouse line, therefore, provides a novel system for investigating in vivo carcinogenesis and the mechanism of transformation of male gonadal cells.

Cervical/vaginal dysplasias of transgenic mice harbouring human papillomavirus type 16 E6-E7 genes.

Half of the female transgenic mice harbouring human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E6-E7 genes under control of the mouse mammary tumour virus promoter, developed malignant tumours, including salivary gland carcinomas, lymphomas and skin histiocytomas. Although the E6-E7 genes are aetiological factors for human anogenital carcinoma, the transgenic mice produced no tumours in the anogenital tract. We investigated cytological and histological changes in the anogenital tract of the same transgenic mice. Seventeen (77%) of 22 transgenic mice developed dysplastic and/or hyperplastic changes in the cervix and vagina. HPV-16 E6-E7 mRNA signals were observed in the genital lesions, while they were not detected in the normal cervices and vaginas of transgenic mice and control mice by RNA in situ hybridization analysis. RNA/PCR analysis using poly(A)+ RNA showed that only a full-length E6-E7 RNA was expressed in three scraped cell samples from dysplasia, whereas full-length and spliced E6-E7 transcripts were in three cell samples from dysplasia/hyperplasia. These results suggest that expression of both E6 and E7 genes of HPV-16 is important for inducing dysplastic and hyperplastic changes in the genital epithelium.

Coexpression of the c-kit receptor and the stem cell factor in gynecological tumors.

The protooncogene c-kit encodes a transmembrane receptor-type tyrosine kinase which belongs to the beta-PDGER/CSF-1 receptor tyrosine kinase family. The interaction between c-kit receptor and its corresponding ligand, stem cell factor (SCF), has been suggested to be involved in embryogenesis as well as carcinogenesis via the autocrine/paracrine system. In the present study, cancer cell lines and normal/benign/malignant tissues of the human female genital tract were examined for the expression of both c-kit and SCF by Northern blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Two of 16 cell lines showed mRNA expression of both c-kit and SCF, while 2 and 12 cell lines expressed c-kit and SCF, respectively. In tissues, several cases of malignant tumors, including three cervical cancers, one ovarian cancer, and one ovarian immature teratoma, expressed mRNA of both c-kit and SCF. In normal tissues, squamous epithelium expressed SCF immunohistochemically, while c-kit protein was detected only in melanocytes. Some tissues of malignant tumors, one squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, two small cell carcinomas of the cervix, two serous adenocarcinomas of the ovary, and two immature teratomas of the ovary, expressed both c-kit and SCF proteins immunohistochemically. It is also notable that c-kit protein was expressed only in malignant germ cells of dysgerminomas, while SCF was expressed in the connective tissues surrounding germ cells. The present study suggests that the c-kit/SCF system may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of the female genital tract.