Earticle

Mucin coat is deposited on the embryos during passage through the oviduct in rabbit. When in vitro cultured blastocysts were transferred to the recipients, the lack of mucin coat might account in part for failure of pregnancy after transfer. The present study were carried out to investigate whether deposition of mucin coat were induced when in vitro cultured blastocysts were transferred to recipients. At 19 ～20 hours post-coitus one-cell embryos were collected by flushing oviducts. These embryos cultured for 72 hours were reached to blastocyst stage. And these blastocysts were transferred to the oviduct of asynchronized (one day later than the donors) and synchronized recipient. To confirm deposition of the mucin coat, blastocysts transferred to the oviduct were recovered at 24 and 48 hours after the transfer. Fifty eight percent of blastocysts recovered from uterus of asynchronous recipient at 24 hours after transfer and 92.9% of blastocysts recovered from uterus of synchronous recipient were 0～10 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. And 11.8% of blastocysts of asynchronized recipients and 7.1% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients were in 11～20 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. When blastocysts were recovered from uterus at 48 hours after transfer, 87.0% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients and 5.9% of blastocyst from synchronized recipients were in 0～10 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. And 76.5% of blastocysts of synchronized recipients and 4.4% of blastocysts from asynchronized recipients were in 11～20 ㎛ of mucin coat thickness. From these results it is speculated that the low implantation rate of in vitro cultured rabbit blastocysts transferred to oviduct of recipient was caused by high degeneration of the embryo after transfer and inappropriate deposition of mucin coat.

The oocyte and its surrounding granulosa cells co-exist in a closed compartment called a follicle, although they receive many signals from other parts of the body. It is well established that the intercellular communications between the oocyte and granulosa cells are required for normal oocyte development and ovulation during folliculogenesis. Gap junctions are intercellular channels allowing the direct transmission of ions and small molecules between coupled cells. Several lines of studies have shown that multiple connexins (Cx, subunits of gap junction) are expressed in mammalian ovarian follicles. Among them, two major connexins Cx37 and Cx43 are expressed in different manner. While the gap junction channels formed by Cx37 are localized between the oocyte and encompassing granulosa cells, the intercellular channels by Cx43 are located between granulosa cells. In this review, I will summarize the general properties of gap junction channels and discuss their possible formation (or compatibility) of intercellular channels formed by the oocyte and granulosa cells.

This study was carried out to investigate the general characteristics and viability of sperm after freezing and thawing and the pregnancy rates after artificial insemination with thawed semen. The rates of viable sperm after slow and rapid freezing were 87.4±3.85% and 70.8±4.45%, respectively which were significantly lower than that of fresh semen control (91.7±3.45%). The mean concentration of epididymal sperm after dilution in 1.0 ml saline and. 3.0 ml extender in a various concentrations of cryoprotectants was 124.5±48.3 x 10/sup 6/ (range of 45 x 10/sup 6/ to 280 X 10/sup 6/ /ml). There was a significant difference not in the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm, but in the percentage of capacitated sperm, between fresh and frozen-thawed epididymal semen. When frozen-thawed after diluting with tris-buffer extender containing glycerol, DMSO and ethylene glycol with concentration of 2 to 6%, the rates of epididymal sperm exposed to different cryoprotectants ranged from 14.4±4.7% to 20.7±5.8%, 17.8±5.2% to 36.5±4.9%, and 14.4±4.6% to 18.5±5.3%, respectively which were lower compare to fresh semen control. The pregnancy rate after artificial insemination with frozen semen was 70.6%, whereas that with fresh semen was 90.0% in dogs with naturally induced estrus.

체외수정 후 체외배양48시간에 난구세포의 제거 유ㆍ무에 따라 CR/sub 1aa/ 배양액에 homoglobin을 0, 1, 5 ㎍/㎖를 첨가한 구의 상실배기 이상 체외발육성 적은 난구세포를 제거한 구에서 23.8%, 33.3% 및 26.8% 였으며, 난구세포를 제거하지 않은 구에서는 각각 39.5%, 54.8% 및 48.8%로서 난구세포를 제거하지 않은 구에 Hb를 1 ㎍/㎖를 첨가한 구가 여타구보다 통계적으로 높은 결과를 얻었다(P<0.05). 체외수정 후 체외배양 96시간 후 난구세포를 제거 유ㆍ무에 따라 Hb를 0, 1, 5 ㎍/㎖를 첨가하였을 때, 상실배기 이상 체외발육성적은 난구세포를 제거한 구에서 각각 28.6%, 46.2% 및 39.1%였으며, 난구세포를 제거하지 않은 구에서는 각각 33.9%, 67.2% 및 46.0%로서, 난구세포를 제거하지 않은 구에 Hb를 1 ㎍/㎖를 첨가구가 여타구에 비해 통계적으로 유의하게 높게 나타났다(P<0.05). CR/sub 1aa/ 배양액에 L-NAME를 0, 10, 50 및 100 mM을 첨가한 구에서 상실배 이상 발육된 체외발육성적은 각각 55.6%, 64.9%, 58.8% 및 66.7%로써 L-NAME 첨가구가 무첨가구에 비해 커다란 차이가 나타나지 않았다(P>0.05). 모든 처리구에 배반포까지 발육된 체외수정란의 세포수에는 커다란 차이가 인정되지 않았다.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of nitric oxide scavenger (hemoglobin) and inhibitor (L-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; L-NAME) with or without cumulus cell on the development of bovine IVM/IVF embryos. When CR/sub 1aa/ medium were supplemented with different dosage (lug/m, 5ug/m and 10ug/ml) of hemoglobin at 48hrs for in vitro culture, the proportion of embryos developing beyond morulae stage in 0, 1ug/ml and 5ug/ml with or without cumulus cell were 23.8%, 33.3 % and 26.8%, and 39.5%, 54.8% and 48.8%, respectively. There was a significantly difference the developmental rate of 1ug/ml hemoglobin intact cumulus cells to any other groups (P<0.05). On the other hand, when added to hemoglobin at 96 hrs, 1 ug/ml hemoglobin with cumulus cell group was significantly increased the percentage of developing into morulae and blastocysts to any other groups (P<0.05), and similar trend that of added at 48hrs. The overall means of the percentage of developing into morulae and blstocysts in 1ug/ml hemoglobin group was significantly increased than those of any other groups (P<0.05) and cumulus co-culture with hemoglobin was increased the in vitro developing rate of IVM/IVF embryos. In CR/sub 1aa/ medium treated with L-NAME 0, 10, 50 and 100mM, the developmental rate of morula plus blastocysts were 55.6%, 64.9%, 58.8% and 66.7%, respectively. The L-NAME did not affect the developmental rate and the cell numbers of blastocysts in all treated groups. These results indicate that hemoglobin and cumulus co-culture can increase the proportion of embryos that developed into morulae and blastocysts, but cell numbers of blastocysts were not affect in all groups.

Flow cytometry를 이용하여 개 정자의 생존율 평가를 수행하고자 2-4세의 수캐 5두가 이용되었고, 분석을 위해 PI염색을 실시하였다. Flow cytometry를 이용한 개 신선 정액의 생존율 평가는 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율을 1:0, 1:1, 1:3으로 조성하여 이를 flow cytometry로 평가하고 광학현미경검사, CFDA/PI 염색검사, HOS test에 의한 생존율과 비교하여 flow cytometry와의 상관관계를 알아보았다. 또한 개 정액을 동결하여 응해 후의 개 정자의 생존율 평가에도 동일한 방법으로 상관관계를 조사하였다. 신선 정액에서 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0, 1:1, 1:3 모든 경우에서 flow cytometry를 이용한 생존율은 HOS test에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 나타내었다 (p<0.01). 신선 정액에서 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0과 1:3일 때 광학현미경적 검사에 의한 생존율은 flow cytometry 분석에 의한 생존율과 유의 적인 상관관계를 나타내었으나 (p<0.05), 1:1 비율의 경우 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. 신선 정액에 생존 정자와 죽은 정자의 비율이 1:0과 1:1일 때 CFDA/PI 염색 검사에 의한 생존율은 flow cytometry분석에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 보였으며(p<0.01), 1:3 비율에서는 유의적인 상관관계를 보였다 (p<0.05). 동결 및 응해 후의 개 정자의 생존율 평가에서 HOS test 결과는 flow cytometry분석에 의한 생존율과 높은 상관관계를 보였으며 (p<0.01), 광학현미경적 검사를 통한 생존율은 유의적인 상관관계를 보였으나 (p<0.05), CFDA/PI 염색 검사결과는 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. 이상의 결과 flow cytometry는 신선정액 및 동결ㆍ융해 후 개 정자에 대한 생존율 검사에 정확한 평가 방법 인 것으로 판단되었다.

This study was performed to examine the correlations among dog sperm viabilities evaluated by flow cytometry, by microscopic evaluation (ME), by carbo-xifluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide (CFDA/PI) and by hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) test. Semen were collected from 5 dogs ranging in age from 2 to 4 years. Each ejaculate was divided into 3 aliquots and different proportions of freeze-killed cells were added to each aliquot (1:0, 1:1 and 1:3). In the other experiment, semen was extended with Sweden extender containing 5% glycerol and equex STM paste, and frozen using liquid nitrogen vapor. Fresh and frozen-thawed dog sperm viability were assessed by flow cytometry using PI staining method. The accuracy of flow cytometry was evaluated by comparing with other classic assessments, microscopic evaluation, epifluorescence microscopic analysis using CFDA/PI, and HOS test. High correlations of sperm viabilities were found among flow cytometry, epifluorescence evaluation, HOS test (p<0.01) in fresh semen. Especially, sperm viability assessed by HOS test was highly correlated with viability by flow cytometry in all the ratios of live and dead spermatozoa, 1:0, 1:1 and 1:3 (p<0.01). The viability evaluated by ME were significantly correlated with that by flow cytometry in ratios of 1:0 and 1:3 (p<0.05) however, there was no significance in ratio of 1:1. The viability evaluated by C/p were highly correlated with that by flow cytometry in ratio of 1:0 and 1:1 (p<0.01) and significantly correlated in ratio of 1:3 (p<0.05). In frozen-thawed spermatozoa, the viability determined by HOS test was considerably correlated with that by flow cytometry (p<0.01). There was significant correlation between the viabilities by ME and by flow cytometry (p<0.05). But the viability evaluated by CFDA/PI was not correlated with viability by flow cytometry. The result from this study validate the use of flow cytometry as a precise method for assessing the viability of fresh and frozen-thawed dog spermatozoa.

본 연구는 돼지 미성숙 난포란의 유리화 동결액에 노출시 독성과 삼투압 스트레스가 가장 적은 유리화 동결액을 조사하기 위하여 실시하였으며, 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 미성숙 난포란을 EFS(40% ethylene glycol +18% ficoll +0.3 M sucrose) 용액, ES(5.5 M ethylene glycol +1.0 M sucrose) 용액, GE(10% glycerol +20% ethylene glycol) 용액에 각각 노출하고 대조구로 아무 처리하지 않은 난포란을 체외성숙하여 관찰한 체외성숙율은 ES 용액과 대조구 에서 EFS 용액과 GE 용액보다 유의적으로 높았으며(P<0.05), 유리화 동결액의 독성에 의한 난포란의 퇴화율은 대조구, ES 용액, EFS 용액, GE 용액 순으로 유의적으로 낮은 퇴화율을 나타내었다(P<0.05). 미성숙 난포란을 EFS 용액, ES용액, GE용액에 각각 노출하고 대조구로 아무 처리하지 않은 난포란을 체외성숙, 체외수정하여 관찰한 정상 수정율은 대조구가 세 종류의 유리화 동결액보다 유의적으로 높았고(P<0.05), 유리화 동결액 간에는 유의적인 차이가 없었다. 다정자 침입율과 난자당 침입한 평균 정자수는 모든 처리구간에 유의적인 차이가 없었다. 미성숙 난포란을 EFS 용액, ES 용액, GE 용액에 각각 노출하고 대조구로 아무 처리하지 않은 난포란을 체외성숙, 체외수정, 체외 배양하여 관찰한 수정 3 일째의 분할율은 ES 용액과 대조구가 EFS 용액과 GE 용액보다 유의적으로 높았으며(P<0.05), 수정 7일째의 배반포 형성율은 모든 처리구간에 유의적인 차이가 없었다. 배양기간 동안 나타난 퇴화율은 대조구가 세 가지 유리화 동결액에 비해 유의적으로 낮았고(P<0.05), ES 용액은 EFS 용액과 GE 용액보다 유의적으로 낮은 퇴화율을 나타내었다(P<0.05).

This study was conducted to investigate the toxi-cological effects of different vitrification solution on development of immature porcine oocytes in vitro. Oocytes were exposed to EFS solution [40% ethylene glycol (EG) + 18% Ficoll + 0.3M sucrose], ES solution (5.5M EG + 1.0M sucrose) or GE solution [10% glycol (G) + 20% EG], and these oocytes were transferred to sucrose solution directly. Maturation rates were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the ES solution (44.5%) and control (57.6%) than in the EFS solution (38.8%) and GE solution (22.4%). No differences among three solution were found in fertilization rates. Cleavage rates was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the ES solution (47.1%) and control (65.9%) than in the EFS solution (21.9%) and GE solution (19.0%), but no difference among three solutions was found in the blastocyst formation rates. These results indicate that combination of EG and sucrose solutions had effects on development of immature porcine oocytes.

본 연구는 동물복제 및 형질전환 동물생산 등의 연구에 기초자료를 제공하고자 재래산양의 oocyte를 단위발생을 유도하여 회수난자의 조건, 활성화방법, 배양조건 등이 단위발생란의 체외발달율에 미치는 영향을 조사하여 재래산 양의 최적의 배양조건을 확립하고자 실시하였다. 난자의 회수는 체중 15～25 Kg 전 ㆍ 후의 성숙한 미경산 재래산양에 FSH와 PMSG 를 사용하여 과배란을 유기하여 hCG 투여 후 제 35시간째에 외과적인 방법으로 in vivo (체내성숙) 난자는 난관을 관류하는 방법으로 회수하였고, in vitro (체외성숙) 난자는 난포로부터 흡입하여 난포란을 채취하여 약 22시간 체외성숙을 실시하였다. 활성화 처리는 전기자극법과 Ionomycin + 6-DMAP를 처리하여 단위발생을 유도하였다. 복제수정란의 배양은 M16, TCM-199 및 mSOF 배양액으로 6～7일 동안 체외배양을 실시하였다. 활성화를 유도하기 위하여 전기자극 및 ionomycin + 6-DMAP 처리를 하였을 때 분할율은 각각 64.1 및 76.5%로서 이들간에 차이는 없었다. 배반포기로의 발달율은 전기자극방법으로는 전혀 발달이 이루어지지 않았으나, ionomycin +6-DMAP 처리방법에서는 15.6%가 배반포로 발달하였다. In vivo 난자와 in vitro 난자를 활성화를 유도하였을 때 분할율은 86.8 및 69.0%로서 이들간에 유의적인 차이는 없었다. 4-세포기(93.9% vs 66.1%), 8-세포기(90.9% vs 37.0%) 및 상실배기(89.4% vs 23.6%)는 이들간에 유의적(P<0.05)인 차이가 있었으며, 배반포기로의 발달율은 체내성숙난자가 50.0%로서 체외성숙난자의 0.8%보다는 유의적으로 높았다. 활성화를 유도한 난자를 mSOF 배양액으로 체외배양을 실시하였을 때 분할율은 81.0%로서 TCM-199 +oviduct cell 의 64.3% 및 Ml6 배양액의 51.6%보다는 높게 나타났다. 배반포기로의 발달율은 mSOF 배양액에서는 3.4%가 발달하였으나, TCM-199+ oviduct cell 배양액과 M16 배양액에서는 전혀 발달이 이루어지지 않았다. 이상의 결과는 포유동물 난자의 단위발생의 유도 및 체외배양시 난자의 공급원, 난자의 활성화 방법 및 배양조건 등이 차후 단위발생란의 체외발생율에 크게 영향을 미칠 수 있는 근거를 제시해 준다.

This study was conducted to examine whether activation treatments, source of oocytes and culture conditions affect in vitro developmental ability of caprine oocytes. Mature Korean native goats were pretreated with intravaginal CIDR for 10 days. The goats were then treated with a single intramuscular injection of 1,000 IU PMSG on Day 8 or twice daily injection of a total of 70 mg FSH for 3 days from Day 8 of CIDR insertion for superovulation. All the goats were injected with 10 mg PGF/sub 2a/ on Day 8 and 400 IU hCG on Day 10 of CIDR. Oocytes were surgically collected by oviduct flushing(in vivo maturation) or direct follicle aspiration(in vitro maturation) through mid-ventral incision at 35 h after hCG injection. Fifteen to twenty oocytes were placed in TCM-199 medium containing 25 mM Hepes and hormones under mineral oil at 39℃ in a humudified atmosphere of 5% CO₂ in air for 22 to 24 h. After maturation, the oocytes were activated by electric stimulation or ionomycin + 6-DMAP. The activated oocytes were then cultured in M16, TCM-199 and mSOF media supplemented with proteins at 39℃ for 6 to 7 days. Activation treatments did not affect cleavage of the oocytes. The cleavage rates were 64.1% (41/64) in oocytes activated by electric stimulation and 76.5% (218/285) in oocytes activated by ionomycin + 6-DMAP. The proportion of development to blastocyst was 15.6% (34/218) in oocytes activated by ionomycin + 6-DMAP, but activation by electric stimulation did not support embryos developed beyond morula stage. There were no differences in the cleavage rates of activated oocytes experiencing in vivo (86.8%, 66/76) and in vitro maturation (69.0%, 127/184). However, the development rate to blastocyst stage was significantly (P<0.05) higher for oocytes matured in vivo (50.0%, 33/66) compared to in vitro (0.8%, 1/127). Culture conditions did not affect the cleavage of -activated oocytes. The cleavage rates were 51.6% (49/95) in M16, 64.3% (18/28) in TCM-199 and 81.0% (145/179) in mSOF, respectively. By contrast, the development rate of activated oocytes to stage was greater (P<0.05) for oocytes cultured in mSOF medium (23.4%, 34/145) than in M16 or TCM-199 (0.0%). Our results suggest that source of oocytes and culture conditions are major factors affecting in vitro development of caprine parthenogenetic oocytes.

PKC는 그들의 cofactor-requirments에 따라 cPKC, nPKC 그리고 aPKC, 3그룹으로 나어진다. 마우스 난 성숙과정에 있어서 cPKC 및 nPKC의 activators인 PMA의 영향에 대한 많은 결과가 보고되었다. 그러나 각각의 그룹에 대한 차별화된 영향에 대하여는 밝혀져 있지 않다. Mezerein의 analog인 thymeleatoxin은 cPKC의 특이적인 activator로 보고되어져 있다. 본 연구에서는 specific cPKC activator인 thymeleatoxin의 마우스 난 성숙과정에의 영향을 제1감수분열 재개 능(germinal vesicle break down, GVBD)과 제1 극체 형성 능(1st polar body extrusion)을 조사하여 cPKC및 nPKC activator인 PMA와 비교 검토하였다. 그 결과 GVBD IC50는 thymeleatoxin에서 ～400nM, PMA에서는 ～50nM이었으며, 제1극체 방출의 IC50는 thymeleatoxin에서 ～200nM, PMA에서는 ～20nM이었다. 이들 결과는 Thymeleatoxin의 GVBD나 1st polar body extrusion 저해효과가 PMA에 비하여 1/8～1/10인 것으로 나타났다. 이들 결과는 GVBD나 제1극체 형성을 포함하는 난 성숙과정에서 cPKC보다 상대적으로 nPKC의 관여가 깊음을 보여 준다.

Protein kinase C exists as a family of serine/threonine kinases which are broadly classified into three groups as cPKC nPKC and aPKC depending on their cofactor requirements. Previous studies have shown that the role of PKC in the process of mouse oocyte maturation. For example, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate which is known as an activator of cPKC and nPKC inhibits germinal vesicle break down and 1st polar body extrusion in maturing oocytes. In this study, the effect of thymeleatoxin, a specific activator of cPKC not nPKC, was tested comparing with PMA to address the roles of cPKC and nPKC during mouse oocyte maturation. Cumulus-oocyte complex were cultured in M16 medium for 6 or 12 hr with each of these PKC activators to investigate the effect of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) or the extrusion of 1st polar body. IC/sup 50/ of GVBD were at concentrations of 50nM in PMA and 400nM in thymeleatoxin and of 1st polar body extrusion were 20nM in PMA and 200nM in thy- meleatoxin. The results suggest that activation of nPKC is more closely related to the inhibition of GVBD and 1st polar body extrusion than activation of cPKC. Additionally, we found that the oocytes inhibited 1st polar body extrusion with PMA or thymeleatoxin were arrested in metaphase I of first meiosis.

본 실험에서는 외래 유전자의 효율적인 발현을 위하여 GFP 표지유전자를 이용하여 여러 종류의 promoter를 검정하였다. 또한, retrovirus vector에 WPRE 서열을 도입함으로써 GFP 유전자의 발현 증가 여부를 확인하였다. 모든 표적 세포에 있어서 UbC와 β-actin promoter에 비해 RSV와 CMV promoter 통제하의 GFP의 발현이 더 강하게 나타났으며, 특히 CEF 세포에서는 RSV promoter가 가장 우수한 것으로 확인되었다. WPRE의 도입으로 인한 발현율의 증가는 CEF를 제외한 세포주에서 promoter의 종류에 관계없이 확인되었다. 이상의 결과로 각 세포주는 promoter에 따라 발현 양상이 약간의 차이를 보이고 있으나 RSV와 CMV promoter에서 유전자의 발현이 보다 효율적이며, WPRE 서열이 도입된 경우에 HeLa와 PFF 세포에서 발현이 현저히 증가하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 연구 결과는 효율적인 유전자의 발현 체계를 확립하는데 기여함으로써 더 나아가 유전자 치료나 형질전환 동물생산에 적극적으로 활용되어질 수 있을 것이다.

In this study, to construct more effective retrovirus system, we compared four internal promoters (RSV: Rous sarcoma virus, UbC: Ubiquitin C, β-actin, CMV: human cytomegalovirus) in the retrovirus vector by measuring GFP (green fluorescent protein) expression. The effect of WPRE (woodchuck hepatitis virus posttrans-criptional regulatory element) sequence on transgene expression was also investigated. Experiments were conducted with cells derived from three different species (human, pig and chicken) and evaluated the activity of each promoter and the effect of WPRE sequence by fluorometry and Western blotting. In all cells tested, RSV and CMV promoters were superior to UbC and β-actin promoters, and RSV promoter was the best one in chicken cells. The boosting effect of WPRE sequence on GFP expression was evident in human and porcine cells but not in chicken cells.

골다공증 치료제로 이용되고 있는 hPTH는 체내의 혈중 칼슘 농도를 조절하는 인간의 부갑상선 호르몬이다. 본 연구에서는 hPTH를 효율적으로 생산하는 돼지세포를 구축하고자 다양한 retrovirus vector를 이용하였는데 다음과 같은 결과를 관찰하였다. 1) hPTH 유전자의 전이를 확인하기 위해 RT-PCR을 수행한 결과, 형질전환된 모든 돼지세포에서 420 bp의 hPTH에 해당하는 단편을 확인할 수 있었으며, WPRE가 도입되지 않은 실험군보다 WPRE서열이 도입된 실험군에서 더 강한 밴드를 확인하였다. 2) ECLIA 측정 결과 hPTH 유전자가 도입된 모든 세포에서 hPTH가 생성되었으며, 특히 Tet-On system에서는 doxycycline을 처리한 실험군에서 hPTH의 발현이 유도되었음을 확인하였다. 또한 RT-PCR과 ECLIA을 수행하여 hPTH의 도입 여부와 단백질 생산을 비교한 결과, WPRE 서열이 hPTH 유전자의 downstream 위치에 도입된 실험군에서 가장 많은 단백질이 생산됨을 확인할 수 있었다.

Human PTH (parathyroid hormone) is known to be efficacious for curing osteoporesis. In this study, we attempted to construct genetically modified porcine cell lines that can ultimately be used for donor cells in nuclear transfer-mediated transgenesis. By using retrovirus vectors carrying tetracycline-regulatory expression system and WPRE (woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element) sequence, we could control PTH expression with tetracycline and boost the promoter activity. Considering that low or constitutive expression of the transgene has been one of major problems that needs to be solved in transgenic animal studies, our results could be helpful in successful production of transgenic pigs as bioreactors.

형질전환 동물의 유선에서 특이적으로 발현되도록 고안된 pBIL-10 발현 벡터를 이용하여 인간 IL-10 유전자가 삽입되어 한 계통으로 확립된 형질전환 생쥐에서 이 유전자가 장기 세대까지 안정적으로 전이되고, 또한 발현 수준도 지속적으로 유지되는지를 조사하였다. 이를 위해 제 8 세대의 수컷 hIL-10 형질전환 생쥐를 실험에 공시하였고, 제 15 세대까지의 전이율과 hIL-10 유전자의 발현 수준을 분석하였다, 제 8 세대 생쥐의 계대 번식에 의한 자손 중 50.9±5.8％가 형질전환 생쥐로 판명되었다. 또한 제 9 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 66.0±20.1％이렀고, 제 10 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 61.5±16.7％이었고, 제 11 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 41.1±8.4％이었고, 제 12 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 40.7±20.3％이었고, 제 13 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 61.3±10.8％이었고, 제 14 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 49.2±18.8％이었고, 제 15 세대에서 외래 유전자의 전이율은 43.8±25.9％이었다. 이러한 결과로 hIL-10 형질전환 생쥐는 그 외래유전자의 유전적 손상이 없이 장기 세대까지 안정적으로 전이되는 것으로 판다된다. 제 9 세대의 암컷 형질전환 생쥐로부터 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 3.6± 1.2 mg/ml의 수준에서 측정되었다. 제 10세대에서는 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 4.2±0.9 mg/ml의 수준에서 측정되었고, 제 11세대에서는 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 5.7± 1.5 mg/ml의 수준에서 측정되었고, 제 12세대에서는 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 6.3±3.5 mg/ml의 수준으로 측정되었고, 제 13세대에서는 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 6.8±4.5 mg/ml의 수준으로 측정되었고, 제 14세대에서는 유즙내 인간 hIL-10의 발현 수준을 분석하였을 때, 그 농도는 평균 6.8±3.1 mg/ml의 수준으로 측정되었다. 이러한 수준은 제 1 세대의 것보다 높은 결과로 형질전환 생쥐에서 인간 IL-10 유전자의 발현은 최소한 15 세대까지 지속적으로 유지된다는 것을 알 수 있었으며, 장기 세대까지도 발현수준이 유지될 것으로 판단된다. 이러한 연구결과는 계통으로 확립된 형질전환 동물에 부여된 새로운 유전형질은 지속적으로 후대로 유전될 수 있음을 제시한다.

The transgenic mice carrying human Interleukin-10 (hIL-10) gene in conjunction with bovine (3 -casein promoter express hIL-10 in milk during lactation. In this study, stability of germ line transmission and expression of hIL-10 transgene integrated into host chromosome were monitored up to generation F8 of transgenic mice. When male mouse of generation F8 was crossbred with normal females, approximately half of offspring (50.9±5.8%) were identified as transgenic mice. Generation F9 to F15 mice also showed similar transmission rates (66.0±20.1%, 61.5±16.7%, 41.1±8.4%, 40.7±20.3%, 61.3±10.8%, 49.2±18.8% and 43.8±25.9%, respectively), implying that hIL-10 transgene can be transmitted stably up to long term generation in the transgenic mice. Expression levels of human IL-10 from milk of generation F9 to F14 mice were 3.6± 1.2 mg/ml, 4.2±0.9 mg/ml, 5.7±1.5 mg/ml, 6.3±3.5 mg/ml, 6.8±4.5 mg/ml and 6.8±3.1 mg/ml, respectively, which was showed high-level expression compared with that of generation F1 (1.6 mg/ml) mice. In conclusion, our results suggest that transgenic mice can be continuously passed their transgenes to the progeny through the breeding program with the same productivity of human IL-10 protein in their milk.