Phenotypic features of first-generation transgenic goats for human granulocyte-colony stimulation factor production in milk

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 36; no. 11; pp. 2155 - 2162
• Main Authors: Batista, Ribrio I.T.P, Melo, Carlos H.S, Souza-Fabjan, Joanna M.G, Teixeira, Dárcio I.A, Melo, Luciana M, Freitas, Vicente J.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.11.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal lactation; Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Applied Microbiology; Bacteria; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; dairy protein; Female; females; Goats; Goats - genetics; Goats - metabolism; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - analysis; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - chemistry; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - genetics; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - metabolism; Human; Humans; kidneys; Lactation; lactose; Life Sciences; liver function; Male; males; Mammary glands; Microbiology; Milk; Milk - chemistry; Milk - cytology; Milk - metabolism; milk composition; Milk production; Original Research Paper; patients; Protein expression; Proteins; Recombinant; Recombinant Proteins - analysis; Recombinant Proteins - chemistry; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; Transgenic; Transgenic animals; Bioreactor; Transgenic goats; Goats; Induced lactation; Neutrophilia; Human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor; Transgenesis
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1007/s10529-014-1588-0

Human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (hG-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor used in neutropenic patients. It is produced in transgenic bacteria or cultured mammalian cells. As an alternative, we now show that hG-CSF can be expressed in the mammary gland of first-generation (F1) transgenic goats during induced lactation. Despite lower milk production, transgenic females presented a similar milk composition (fat, protein and lactose) when compared to non-transgenic (p > 0.05) ones. The mean concentration (±SD) of recombinant hG-CSF in milk during lactation was 360 ± 178 µg ml⁻¹. All clinical parameters, as well as kidney and liver function, indicated that F1 transgenic goats were healthy. Additionally, no ectopic hG-CSF expression was detected in studied tissues of F1 transgenic males. Thus, F1 hG-CSF-transgenic goats can express the recombinant protein in milk at quantities compatible with their use as bioreactors in a commercial-scale protein-production program.