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Li X, Lyu Y, Shen J, Mu Y, Qiang L, Liu L, Araki K, Imbimbo BP, Yamamura KI, Jin S, Li Z. Amyloid deposition in a mouse model humanized at the transthyretin and retinol-binding protein 4 loci. J Transl Med 2018; 98:512-524. [PMID: 29330472 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-017-0019-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a point mutation in the transthyretin (TTR) gene. The process of TTR amyloidogenesis begins with rate-limiting dissociation of the TTR tetramer. Thus, the TTR stabilizers, such as Tafamidis and Diflunisal, are now in clinical trials. Mouse models will be useful to testing the efficacy of these drugs. Although several mouse models have been generated, they all express mouse Rbp4. Thus, human TTR associates with mouse RBP4, resulting in different kinetic and thermodynamic stability profiles of TTR tetramers. To overcome this problem, we previously produced humanized mouse strains at both the TTR and Rbp4 loci (Ttr hTTRVal30 , Ttr hTTRMet30 , and Rbp4 hRBP4 ). By mating these mice, we produced double-humanized mouse strains, Ttr hTTRVal30/hTTRVal30 :Rbp4 hRBP4/hRBP4 and Ttr hTTRVal30/Met30 :Rbp4 hRBP4/hRBP4 . We used conventional transgenic mouse strains on a wild-type (Ttr +/+ :Tg[6.0hTTRMet30]) or knockout Ttr background (Ttr-/-:Tg[6.0hTTRMet30]) as reference strains. The double-humanized mouse showed 1/25 of serum hTTR and 1/40 of serum hRBP4 levels. However, amyloid deposition was more pronounced in Ttr hTTRVal30/Met30 :Rbp4 hRBP4/hRBP4 than in conventional transgenic mouse strains. In addition, a similar amount of amyloid deposition was also observed in Ttr hTTRVal30/ hTTRVal30 :Rbp4 hRBP4/ hRBP4 mice that carried the wild-type human TTR gene. Furthermore, amyloid deposition was first observed in the sciatic nerve without any additional genetic change. In all strains, anti-TTR antibody-positive deposits were found in earlier age and at higher percentage than amyloid fibril deposition. In double-humanized mice, gel filtration analysis of serum revealed that most hTTR was free of hRBP4, suggesting importance of free TTR for amyloid deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangshun Li
- Division of Respiratory Disease, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yanyi Lyu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingling Shen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yanshuang Mu
- Yamamura Project Laboratory, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Lixia Qiang
- Division of Respiratory Disease, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Kimi Araki
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | - Ken-Ichi Yamamura
- Yamamura Project Laboratory, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Shoude Jin
- Division of Respiratory Disease, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Zhenghua Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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Sousa MM, Fernandes R, Palha JA, Taboada A, Vieira P, Saraiva MJ. Evidence for early cytotoxic aggregates in transgenic mice for human transthyretin Leu55Pro. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2002; 161:1935-48. [PMID: 12414539 PMCID: PMC1850789 DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9440(10)64469-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is a lethal autosomal dominant disorder characterized by systemic extracellular deposition of transthyretin (TTR) amyloid fibrils. Several groups have generated transgenic mice carrying human TTR Val30Met, the most common mutation in FAP. To study amyloidogenicity and cytotoxicity of different TTRs, we produced transgenic mice expressing human TTR Leu55Pro, one of the most aggressive FAP-related mutations. TTR deposition and presence of amyloid fibrils was investigated and compared to animals carrying the human TTR Val30Met gene kept under the same conditions. Deposition in a C57BL/6J background (TTR-Leu55Pro mice) and in a TTR-null background [TTR-Leu55Pro X TTR-knockout (KO) mice] was compared. Animals in a C57BL/6J background presented early (1 to 3 months) nonfibrillar TTR deposition but amyloid was absent. In a TTR-null background, presence of amyloid fibrils was detected starting at 4 to 8 months with a particular involvement of the gastrointestinal tract and skin. This data suggested that TTR homotetramers are more prone to fibril formation than TTR murine wild-type/human mutant heterotetramers. The nature of the deposited material was further investigated by immunocytochemistry. Both amorphous aggregates and small TTR fibrils were present in TTR-Leu55Pro X TTR-KO transgenics. We observed that these TTR deposits mimic the toxic effect of TTR deposits in FAP: animals with TTR deposition, present approximately twofold increased levels of nitrotyrosine in sites related to deposition. The TTR-Leu55Pro X TTR-KO mice here described are an important tool for the dual purpose of investigating factors involved in amyloidogenesis and in cytotoxicity of deposited TTR.
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Uemichi T, Liepnieks JJ, Gertz MA, Benson MD. Fibrinogen A alpha chain Leu 554: an African-American kindred with late onset renal amyloidosis. Amyloid 1998; 5:188-92. [PMID: 9818055 DOI: 10.3109/13506129809003844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
An African-American kindred with renal amyloidosis is described. Four members in two generations developed nephropathy in the sixth to eighth decade of life. Kidney biopsy and subcutaneous fat aspirate biopsy of one patient revealed amyloid deposits. DNA analysis showed that patients were heterozygous for a mutation in the fibrinogen A alpha chain gene with a guanine to thymine transversion at the second base of codon 554, predicting a leucine for arginine substitution. Peptide sequence analysis of isolated plasma fibrinogen showed normal peptide as well as variant peptide with leucine replacing arginine at position 554, as predicted by the DNA sequence. The ratio between normal and variant peptides was approximately 1:1 in one patient and 3:2 in another. Although this African-American kindred has the exact same mutation as a previously described Peruvian-Mexican kindred, the onset age in this kindred is much later than in the Peruvian-Mexican kindred. This finding may indicate the existence of additional factor(s) beside the primary causative genetic mutation, which affect the expression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Uemichi
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-5251, USA
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