An extensive phenotypic characterization of the hTNFα transgenic mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is implicated in a wide variety of pathological and physiological processes, including chronic inflammatory conditions, coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity, and cachexia. Transgenic mice expressing human TNFα (hTNFα) have previously been described as a model for progressive rheumatoid arthritis. In this report, we describe extensive characterization of an hTNFα transgenic mouse line.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In addition to arthritis, these hTNFα transgenic mice demonstrated major alterations in body composition, metabolic rate, leptin levels, response to a high-fat diet, bone mineral density and content, impaired fertility and male sexual function. Many phenotypes displayed an earlier onset and a higher degree of severity in males, pointing towards a significant degree of sexual dimorphism in response to deregulated expression of TNFα.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results highlight the potential usefulness of this transgenic model as a resource for studying the progressive effects of constitutively expressed low levels of circulating TNFα, a condition mimicking that observed in a number of human pathological conditions.</p

An extensive phenotypic characterization of the hTNFα transgenic mice-2

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "An extensive phenotypic characterization of the hTNFα transgenic mice"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6793/7/13</p><p>BMC Physiology 2007;7():13-13.</p><p>Published online 10 Dec 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC2222242.</p><p></p>pendently increased endogenous TNFα in WT and TG mice similarly. WT (open bars) and TG mice (closed bars) were injected with the indicated doses of LPS (μg/mouse) as shown on the X-axis. (A) Human and (B) mouse TNFα levels were measured using ELISA assays. Data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 5 for each genotype and dose combination. ND – non-detectable

An extensive phenotypic characterization of the hTNFα transgenic mice-0

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "An extensive phenotypic characterization of the hTNFα transgenic mice"</p><p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6793/7/13</p><p>BMC Physiology 2007;7():13-13.</p><p>Published online 10 Dec 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC2222242.</p><p></p>pendently increased endogenous TNFα in WT and TG mice similarly. WT (open bars) and TG mice (closed bars) were injected with the indicated doses of LPS (μg/mouse) as shown on the X-axis. (A) Human and (B) mouse TNFα levels were measured using ELISA assays. Data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 5 for each genotype and dose combination. ND – non-detectable