实验动物与比较医学 ›› 2024, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (1): 42-51.DOI: 10.12300/j.issn.1674-5817.2023.089

• 人类疾病动物模型 • 上一篇    下一篇

Dmd基因突变小鼠构建及在肌肉及免疫系统的表型验证

梁敏1(), 郭洋1, 王津津2, 朱梦妍1, 池骏2, 陈艳娟1, 王成稷1, 喻智澜1, 沈如凌1()()   

  1. 1.上海实验动物研究中心, 上海 201203
    2.上海南方模式生物科技股份有限公司, 上海 201318
  • 收稿日期:2023-06-27 修回日期:2023-11-28 出版日期:2024-02-25 发布日期:2024-03-07
  • 通讯作者: 沈如凌(1981—),女,博士,副研究员,研究方向:模式动物模型研发及表型研究(肿瘤免疫和神经免疫方向)。E-mail: shenruling@slarc.org.cn。ORCID: 0000-0002-7529-810X
  • 作者简介:梁 敏(1981—),男,博士,助理研究员,研究方向:模式动物模型研发及表型研究(神经免疫方向)。E-mail: liangmin@slarc.org.cn
  • 基金资助:
    上海市科技创新行动计划-实验动物专项课题“人源化小鼠模型的建立和评价平台建设”(22140900102)

Construction of Dmd Gene Mutant Mice and Phenotype Verification in Muscle and Immune Systems

Min LIANG1(), Yang GUO1, Jinjin WANG2, Mengyan ZHU1, Jun CHI2, Yanjuan CHEN1, Chengji WANG1, Zhilan YU1, Ruling SHEN1()()   

  1. 1.Shanghai Laboratory Animal Research Center, Shanghai 201203, China
    2.Shanghai Model Organisms Inc. Shanghai 201318, China
  • Received:2023-06-27 Revised:2023-11-28 Published:2024-02-25 Online:2024-03-07
  • Contact: SHEN Ruling (ORCID: 0000-0002-7529-810X), E-mail: shenruling@slarc.org.cn

摘要:

目的 利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术构建抗肌萎缩蛋白(dystrophin,Dmd)基因第23号外显子点突变的Dmd基因突变小鼠,分析并验证该小鼠在肌肉及免疫系统中的表型变化,为杜氏肌营养不良症等疾病提供评价模型。 方法 针对Dmd基因23号外显子序列特征,设计合成小向导RNA(small guide RNA,sgRNA);将Cas9 mRNA、sgRNA片段和oligo donor DNA显微注射到C57BL/6J小鼠受精卵中,并将该受精卵移植至代孕鼠后出生获得F0代小鼠;F0代小鼠通过交配获得子代小鼠后,基因型鉴定筛选得到Dmd基因阳性突变小鼠(命名为DmdMu/+小鼠)。选择3月龄和9月龄的雄性半合子DmdMu/+小鼠(命名为DmdMu/Y小鼠)和野生型C57BL/6J小鼠(作为对照)用于表型验证:称量记录活体小鼠体重,并通过悬挂实验检测小鼠肌张力;采集心脏和半腱肌,采用HE染色法观察组织病理学变化,进一步通过蛋白质印迹法检测9月龄小鼠肌肉组织内Dmd蛋白的表达情况。利用脂多糖诱导建立DmdMu/Y小鼠急性炎症模型,采集小鼠颌下静脉血,采用流式细胞术检测外周血中性粒细胞和单核细胞比例变化。 结果 基因组测序和蛋白质印迹结果表明Dmd基因点突变小鼠(即DmdMu/+小鼠)构建成功,DmdMu/+小鼠骨骼肌和心肌中未见Dmd蛋白表达,与野生型C57BL/6J小鼠相比明显下降(P<0.05)。与背景相同的野生型小鼠相比较,3月龄和9月龄的雄性半合子突变小鼠(DmdMu/Y小鼠)体重明显减轻(P<0.01),肌张力显著下降(P<0.05);9月龄DmdMu/Y小鼠的骨骼肌和心肌发生肌间隙变宽等明显病变。未注射脂多糖时,与野生型小鼠相比,3月龄DmdMu/Y小鼠的外周血中性粒细胞和单核细胞比例显著降低(P<0.01);经脂多糖诱导后,3月龄DmdMu/Y小鼠的外周血中性粒细胞比例仍然较野生型小鼠显著降低(P<0.01),而9月龄DmdMu/Y小鼠的外周血中性粒细胞比例在脂多糖诱导后显著升高(P<0.05),但较野生型小鼠仍显著降低(P<0.01);同月龄DmdMu/Y小鼠经脂多糖诱导后外周血单核细胞比例与野生型小鼠相比仅有偏低趋势(P>0.05)。 结论 成功构建了Dmd基因突变小鼠模型,证实该基因具有维系肌肉组织正常形态和肌张力等重要功能,并初步发现该基因缺失会减少外周血液中性粒细胞比例,为后续研究杜氏肌营养不良症患者的免疫系统异变机制提供新的思路。

关键词: Dmd基因, CRISPR/Cas9, 杜氏肌营养不良症, C57BL/6J小鼠

Abstract:

Objective The aim is to utilize CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to construct Dmd gene mutant mice with a point mutation in exon 23 of the Dmd gene. Subsequently, the phenotypic changes of the mice in muscles and immune systems are analyzed and verified, providing an evaluation model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other related diseases. Methods Based on the sequence characteristics of exon 23 of the Dmd gene, small guide RNA (sgRNA) was designed and synthesized. Cas9 mRNA, sgRNA fragments, and oligo donor DNA were microinjected into fertilized eggs of C57BL/6J mice. After transferring the fertilized eggs to surrogate mice, F0 generation mice were born. After mating with F0 generation mice, offspring mice were obtained, and Dmd gene positive mutant (DmdMu/+) mice were obtained after genotype identification. Male hemizygous DmdMu/+(DmdMu/Y) mice were selected for phenotype validation. The body weight of live 3- and 9-month-old mice were recorded. Muscle tension was evaluated through the grid test. Hearts and semitendinosus muscles were collected, and the histopathological changes were observed using HE staining. Further, the expression of Dmd protein in muscle tissue of 9-month-old mice was analyzed by Western blotting. An acute inflammation model was established in DmdMu/Y mice using lipopolysaccharide induction. Peripheral blood from the submandibular vein was collected, and the changes in the proportion of neutrophils and monocytes were detected by flow cytometry. Results The results of genome sequencing and Western blotting confirmed the successful construction of Dmd gene point mutant mice (DmdMu/+ mice). Dmd protein expression was not detected in skeletal muscle and myocardium of DmdMu/+ mice, and it was significantly reduced compared to wild-type C57BL/6J mice (P<0.05). Compared with wild-type mice of the same background, DmdMu/Y mice at 3 and 9 months of age showed significant weight loss (P<0.01) and decreased muscle tension (P<0.05). 9-month-old DmdMu/Y mice exhibited significant pathological changes in skeletal muscle and myocardium, including widening of intermuscular space. Under normal condition, compared with wild-type mice, the proportion of neutrophils and monocytes in the peripheral blood of 3-month-old DmdMu/Y mice was significantly lower than that of wild-type mice (P<0.01). After lipopolysaccharide stimulation, the proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood of 3-month-old DmdMu/Y mice remained significantly lower compared to that of wild-type mice (P<0.01). The proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood of 9-month-old DmdMu/Y mice significantly decreased after lipopolysaccharide induction (P<0.01), with a trend of change observed in monocytes between groups. Conclusion The successful construction of the Dmd gene mutant mouse model has confirmed the vital function of Dmd gene in maintaining normal muscle tissue morphology and muscle tone. It preliminarily indicated that Dmd gene deletion could significantly reduce the proportion of neutrophils in peripheral blood, offering a new perspective for the study of immune system alterations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

Key words: Dmd gene, CRISPR/Cas9, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, C57BL/6J mice

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