2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Elucidation of MMP-12 functions in atherosclerosis using transgenic rabbit models
| Project/Area Number |
13470046
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Human pathology
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| Research Institution | 佐賀医科大学 |
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Principal Investigator |
WATANABE Teruo Saga University, VICE PRESIDENT, 副学長 (40037396)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
北嶋 修司 佐賀大学, 総合分析実験センター, 助手 (70284643)
MORIMOTO Masatoshi Saga University, Analytical Research Center For Experimental Sciences, 総合分析実験センター, 助教授 (90136482)
FAN Jianglin University of Tsukuba, Institute of Basic medical sciences, Associate Professor, 基礎医学系, 助教授 (60272192)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | transgene / animal model / transgenic rabbit / extracellular matrix / MMPs / atherosclerosis / inflammation / hyperlipidemia |
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| Research Abstract |
Increased matrix metalloproteinase-12 (M1VIP-l2) has been implicated in atherosclerosis and many other inflammatory processes. To define MMP-12 functions in viva, we generated transgenic rabbits that expressed human MMP-12 gene under the control of a macrophage-specific promoter, the human scavenger receptor promoter. Two transgenic founder rabbits were found n have human MMP-12 transgene integration by Southern blot analysis. hMMP-12 mRNA was expressed in peritoneal and alveolar macrophages, and in tissues enriched in macrophages in transgenic rabbits. High levels of hMMP-12 protein were detected in the conditioned media of cultured peritoneal and alveolar macrophages from transgenic rabbits. Zymography showed that hMMP-12 secreted from macrophages possessed enzymatic activity toward β-casein. To evaluate the expression of hMMP-12 in inflammatory sites, we used carrageenan-induced granulomas as an in vivo model for tissue macrophages and foam cells. Granuloma size in transgenic rabbits was significantly increased compared to that in control rabbits, and histological examination revealed that granulomas of transgenic rabbits were enriched in macrophages associated with increased hMMP-l2 expression. We believe that this transgenic rabbit model with increased expression of hMJvlP-12 may become a useful model for further mechanistic studies of MMP-12 in inflammatory diseases and cancer invasion, it is also an ideal model for testing the in vivo action of IMP-12 inhibitors.
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