Animal Model for Osteoarthritis and Intervertebral Disc Disease

• Main Author: CHEN DI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.11.2011
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; CULTURE MEDIA; ENZYMOLOGY; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYGIENE; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS; PHYSICS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS ORMEDICINAL PREPARATIONS; SPIRITS; TESTING; TRAPPING; VINEGAR; WINE

Provided herein is a transgenic animal whose genome comprises a first nucleic acid sequence encoding a fusion polypeptide, wherein the fusion polypeptide comprises a Cre recombinase and a mutated ligand binding domain of human estrogen receptor (CreER), wherein the first nucleic acid is operably linked to a chondrocyte-specific promoter and a second nucleic acid sequence encoding a -catenin polypeptide, wherein the second nucleic acid sequence comprises one or more loxP sequences. Also provided is a method of modifying a transgenic animal comprising administering tamoxifen to the transgenic animal. Also provided are methods of screening for an agent that reduces or prevents Cre-Negative Control one or more symptoms of osteoarthritis or intervertebral disc disease in a subject. Methods for identifying a subject with or at risk of developing osteoarthritis or intervertebral disc disease are also provided, as well as methods of treating or preventing osteoarthritis or intervertebral disc disease in a subject.