CREATE TRANSGENIC RABBITS BY MICROINJECTING HUMAN apoA-Ⅱ GENE INTO FERTILIZED EGGS

Objective To create transgenic rabbits by microinjecting human apolipoprotein A-Ⅱ (apoA-Ⅱ) geneinto one-cell embryos, to study apoA-Ⅱ gene function on plasma lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis. Methods Superovulation and synchronization of estrus were induced in female Japanese White Rabbits by injecting hormone,then mating with male. After collected the fertilized eggs, the human apoA-Ⅱ gene was microinjected into the male pronucleus of eggs. The injected eggs were transferred into recipient female rabbits. Last, extract DNA from the new borns ear and determine whether the newborns were transgenic by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or Southern blot analysis. Results A total of 822 embryos with microinjection of human apoA-Ⅱ gene were implanted into 28 recipient rabbits. The number of surviving newborns was 37. 3 transgenic positive surviving founders were found with humanapoA-Ⅱ.