| First Author | Brouwers B | Year | 2014 |
| Journal | Cell Metab | Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 6 | Pages | 979-90 |
| PubMed ID | 25470546 | Mgi Jnum | J:215816 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5606308 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cmet.2014.11.004 |
| Citation | Brouwers B, et al. (2014) Impaired Islet Function in Commonly Used Transgenic Mouse Lines due to Human Growth Hormone Minigene Expression. Cell Metab 20(6):979-90 |
| abstractText | The human growth hormone (hGH) minigene is frequently used in the derivation of transgenic mouse lines to enhance transgene expression. Although this minigene is present in the transgenes as a secondcistron, and thus not thought to be expressed, we found that three commonly used lines, Pdx1-Cre(Late), RIP-Cre, and MIP-GFP, each expressed significant amounts of hGH in pancreatic islets. Locally secreted hGH binds to prolactin receptors on beta cells, activates STAT5 signaling, and induces pregnancy-like changes in gene expression, thereby augmenting pancreatic beta cell mass and insulin content. In addition, islets of Pdx1-Cre(Late) mice have lower GLUT2 expression and reduced glucose-induced insulin release and are protected against the beta cell toxin streptozotocin. These findings may be important when interpreting results obtained when these and other hGH minigene-containing transgenic mice are used. |
