Generation of a conditional knockout allele for the NFAT5 gene in mice

摘要: The osmosensitive transcription factor nuclear of activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5), also known as tonicity enhancer element binding protein (TonEBP) plays a crucial role in protection renal medullary cells against hyperosmotic stress, urinary concentration, the adaptive immune response, and other physiological systems. Since it is important for development, conventional homozygous-null mutations result perinatal death, which hinders analysis NFAT5 function specific tissues vivo. Here we describe generation mice with conditional-null allele, loxP sites are inserted around exon 4. Mice harboring floxed allele (NFAT5flx) were mated to strain expressing tamoxifen-inducible derivative Cre-recombinase (Cre+) under control ubiqitinC promoter. resultant homozygous conditional knockout (Cre+ NFAT5flx/flx) viable, fertile, show normal expression target genes, indicating that alleles retain their wild-type function. Induction Cre-mediated recombination by administration tamoxifen 8-week-old resulted decrease about 70-90% all tested (renal cortex, outer medulla, inner heart, lung, spleen, skeletal muscle). Accordingly, genes aldose reductase heat shock 70 medulla was significantly decreased. this should be useful future studies gaining better understanding tissue cell-type functions adult animals pathophysiological conditions.