Production and characterization of human #beta#_(2) microglobulin transgenic mice

The human #beta#2 microglobulin transgenic mice were produced for the study of human HLA-B2704 gene related to arthrospondylosis in chinese. Human #beta#2 microglobulin gene (#beta#2m gene) was introduced into fertilized eggs of C57BL/6XKunming and KunmingXKunming F1 mice by microinjection. By PCR, the founder mice and their progeny were screened for integration of the human #beta#2m transgene into the mouse genome which were further confirmed by Southern blotting. The cpy number of transgene was determined by dot blotting. The expressio of human #beta#2m transgene in mice at the mRNA level was analyzed by RT-PCR. Six founder mice and seven founder F1 contained human #beta#2 gene. Four of 25 (11.4%) hybrid mice from C57BL/6XKunming and two of 51 (3.9%) hybrid mice from KunmingXKunming background carried human #beta#2m gene. Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference of the integration rate between the two groups (P<0.05), seven of 20 hybrid mice from founder mice containing human #beta#2m geneXKunming background carried human #beta#2m gene. The transgene was the single copy in all the founder mice and founder F1. The human #beta#2m gene was expressed at the mRNA level in skin, colon, testicle and spleen tissues of the transgenic mice. Human #beta#2m transgenic mice have been obtained. For the production of transgenic mice, C57BL/6XKunmin F1 is better than KunmingXKunming F1. Compared with the HLA-B2704 gene, the integration of human #beta#2m gene into mouse genome is more difficult.