Human Surfactant Protein B Expression in Humanized Transgenic Mice

Author

Mark C. Schoenborn

Degree Type

Honors Capstone Project

Date of Submission

Spring 5-1-2014

Capstone Advisor

Dr. Guirong Wang

Honors Reader

Dr. John Belote

Capstone Major

Biology

Capstone College

Arts and Science

Audio/Visual Component

no

Capstone Prize Winner

no

Won Capstone Funding

no

Honors Categories

Sciences and Engineering

Subject Categories

Biology

Abstract

Surfactant protein B (SP-B, gene name: sftpb) is essential for normal lung function. It reduces alveoli surface tension, thereby preventing the lung from collapse. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SP-B 1580 C/T) is associated with several lung diseases and altered N-linked glycosylation site at Asn¹²⁹ of SP-B. This change, present in the human population, has been associated with negative effects on SP-B precursor (proSP-B) processing and function. In this study, hSP-B humanized transgenic mice were generated without mouse SP-B background. Four founding lines, showing only the hSP-B gene, were selected via PCR-based DNA analysis. Genomic sequencing of these mice revealed which allele variant (hSP-B-C/T) they carried. Western blot analysis of BALF samples revealed these hTG mice expressed hSP-B protein in levels significant for survival and comparable to that of a healthy human lung. Characterization of the two hSP-B allele variant hTG strains revealed significant differences in their relative alveolar size and total lipid concentration.

Recommended Citation

Schoenborn, Mark C., "Human Surfactant Protein B Expression in Humanized Transgenic Mice" (2014). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 767.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/767

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.