Human Somatostatin SST4 Receptor Transgenic Mice: Construction and Brain Expression Pattern Characterization

Somatostatin receptor subtype 4 (SST4) has been shown to mediate analgesic, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory functions without endocrine actions; therefore, it is proposed be a novel target for drug development. To overcome the species differences of SST4 expression function between humans mice, we generated an humanized mouse line serve as translational animal model preclinical research. A transposon vector containing hSSTR4 reporter gene construct driven by regulatory elements were created. The was randomly inserted in Sstr4-deficient mice. detected bioluminescent vivo imaging luciferase predominantly brain. RT-qPCR confirmed human brain various peripheral tissues consistent with imaging. RNAscope situ hybridization revealed presence transcripts glutamatergic excitatory neurons CA1 CA2 regions hippocampus; GABAergic interneurons granular layer olfactory bulb both types primary somatosensory cortex, piriform prelimbic cortex amygdala. This might enable us investigate assess effects agonist candidates.