Until recently the most popular tetracycline-inducible gene expression system has been the one developed by Gossen and Bujard. In this study, we tested the latest version of same system and the results are summarized as follows: Compared with previous one, the difference of new system are minor changes of nucleotide sequences in transactivator and tetracycline response element (TRE) regions. Sensitivity to the doxycycline (a tetracycline derivative) was improved. Leakiness of GFP marker gene expression in non-inducible condition was significantly decreased. Higher expression of the marker gene was observed when the cells were fed with doxycycline- containing medium. Optimal insertion site of woodchuck posttranscriptional regulatory element (WPRE) sequence which was known to increase gene expression was different depending on the origin of cells. In chicken embryonic fibroblast, location of WPRE sequence at 3’ end of TRE resulted in the highest GFP expression. In bovine embryonic fibroblasts, 3’ end of transactivator was the best site for the GFP expression.

본 연구에서는 hG-CSF의 발현을 유도적으로 조절하기 위한 FIV-Tet-On lentivirus vector system을 구축하고자 하였다. hG-CSF는 호중성구 계열 세포의 증식과 분화, 생존에 영향을 미치는 물질로서, 이 유전자의 발현을 증가시키기 위하여 FIV-Tet-On vector 상의 hG-CSF나 rtTA2SM2 서열의 3' 위치에 WPRE 서열을 도입하였다. 구축된 각각의 vector는 293FT 세포에 일시적으로 transfection하여 virus를 생산하였으며, 이 virus를 일차 배양 세포인 CEF와 PFF에 감염시켰다. 각 세포에 전이된 hG-CSF의 발현 양상을 관찰하기 위하여 doxycycline을 첨가하거나 첨가하지 않은 배지에서 배양한 후 quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot과 ELISA를 이용하여 hG-CSF 유전자의 발현 정도를 비교 측정한 결과, CEF에서는 WPRE가 hG-CSF의 3' 위치에 도입된 경우에 발현량과 유도율이 가장 높은 것으로 나타났고, PFF에서는 rtTA 서열의 3'위치에 도입된 경우에 발현량과 유도율이 가장 큰 것으로 확인되었다. 이 FIV-Tet-On vector system은 형질 전환 동물의 생산이나 유전자 치료에서 문제시되는 외래 유전자의 지속적인 과다 발현에 의한 개체의 생리적인 부작용을 최소화하기 위한 해결 방법으로 제시될 수 있을 것이다.

The activation of protooncogenes or the inactivation of their gene products may be a specific and effective functional study for human neoplasia. To examine this possibility, we have used the tetracycline regulatory system to generate transgenic mice that conditionally express the HccR-2 protooncogene in vivo. The new human cervical cancer protooncogene (HccR-2) was detected from cervical cancer cell line. To elucidate its biological functions, we generated transgenic mice that expressed the HccR-2 gene. The sustained expression of the HccR-2 transgene culminated chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL). CNL is a rare chronic myeloproliferative disorder that presents as a sustained, mature neutrophilic leukocytosis with few or no circulating immature granulocytes, the absence of peripheral blood monocytosis, basophilia, or eosinophilia, and infiltration of neutrophils at the liver, spleen and kidney. Mice expressing the HccR-2 and tetracycline-transactivating protein (tTa) transgene were found to have altered myeloid development that was characterized by increased percentages of mature neutrophil and band form neutrophil in the peripheral blood, liver and spleen. Activation of the transgene causes CNL. In our model, expression of HccR-2 transgene mice was similar in many respects to the human CNL. This model will be valuable not only for investigating the biological properties of the HccR-2 and other protooncogenes in vivo but also for analyzing the mechanism involved in the progression of CNL.