Expression of a retinoblastoma transgene results in dwarf mice.

The retinoblastoma gene regulates somatic growth during mouse development.

Overexpression of the retinoblastoma gene (Rb) in mice leads to the dwarf phenotype. To explore the potential mechanism of Rb effects on the somatic growth, bitransgenic mice with tetracycline-regulated Rb expression were generated, and their phenotypes were compared with those of previously established Rb mouse models. By gestational day 12.5, embryos lacking Rb and those expressing twice the ...

Photoreceptor cell tumors in transgenic mice.

PURPOSE To produce transgenic mice that express the SV40 T-antigen oncogene specifically in photoreceptor cells, giving rise to retinoblastoma tumors of photoreceptor cell origin; to characterize the mice with regard to transgene expression and pathology and to characterize the resulting tumors histologically. METHODS Transgenic mice were generated that express T-antigen under the control of ...

Development of Transgenic Mice Harboring Ovine Beta Lactoglobulin-Calcitonin Transgene

Earlier onset of melanotroph carcinogenesis in mice with inherited mutant paternal allele of the retinoblastoma gene.

The role of genomic imprinting in the development of tumors with defective retinoblastoma protein function remains debatable. Disruption of either parental allele of the murine retinoblastoma (Rb) gene is sufficient for spontaneous melanotroph carcinogenesis to occur in almost all Rb+/- mice. Nevertheless, mice with a disrupted paternal Rb allele succumb to tumors faster. In these animals, the ...

A novel treatment approach for retinoblastoma by targeting epithelial growth factor receptor expression with a shRNA lentiviral system

Objective(s): Non-invasive treatment options for retinoblastoma (RB), the most common malignant eye tumor among children, are lacking. Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) accelerates cell proliferation, survival, and invasion of many tumors including RB. However, RB treatment by targeting EGFR has not yet been researched. In the current study, we investigated the effect of EGFR down-regula...