Endothelial cell-specific expression of Cre recombinase in transgenic mice

Yi Chuan Xue Bao. 2005 Sep;32(9):909-15.

Abstract

Endothelial cells participate in angiogenesis, vascular homeostasis, thrombosis, inflammation and vascular wall remodeling. To study the function of genes in endothelial cells using Cre-loxP system, we generated Tie2-Cre transgenic mice, in which expression of Cre recombinase is driven by Tie2 promoter. Total six founder mice carrying the Tie2-Cre transgene were identified by genomic PCR and Southern blot. The integration efficiency is 11%. In order to test the excision activity and tissue distribution of the Cre recombinase, the Tie2-Cre transgenic line was crossed with the mouse strain carrying the Smad4 conditional alleles (Smad4(Co/Co)) or the reporter line ROSA26. PCR of multiple tissue DNA from Tie2-Cre; Smad4(Co/+) mice revealed the Cre activity in all tissues containing endothelial cells. We detected pan-endothelial expression of the Cre transgene in Tie2-Cre; ROSA26 double transgenic embryos by lacZ staining. Therefore, this mouse line may serve as a valuable tool for endothelial cell lineage analyses and conditional gene ablation in endothelial cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Embryo, Mammalian / cytology
  • Embryo, Mammalian / enzymology
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Hybridization, Genetic
  • Integrases / genetics*
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Lac Operon / genetics
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Receptor, TIE-2 / genetics*
  • Smad4 Protein / genetics
  • Smad4 Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Gt(ROSA)26Sor non-coding RNA, mouse
  • Proteins
  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Smad4 Protein
  • Smad4 protein, mouse
  • Receptor, TIE-2
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases