MMTV-SV40-Spy1A and Spy1A-pTRE Transgenic Mouse Models

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention provides a transgenic non-human animal model having germ cells and somatic cells containing an endogenous MMTV-SV40-Spy1A gene sequence introduced into said animal model or an ancestor of said animal model at an embryonic stage, wherein said gene sequence comprises a mouse mammary tumor virus gene (MMTV), a functionally disrupted SV40 gene (SV40) and a human Spy1A gene. In another aspect, the present invention provides a transgenic non-human animal model whose germ cells and somatic cells contain an endogenous Spy1A-pTRE-Tight gene sequence introduced into said animal model or an ancestor of said animal model at an embryonic stage. Preferably, the Spy1A-pTRE-Tight animal model expresses the Spy1A gene and develop cancer, preferably breast cancer, when administered with tetracycline, preferably doxycycline.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A transgenic non-human animal model comprising germ cells and somatic cells having an MMTV-SV40-Spy1A gene sequence introduced into the genome of said animal model or an ancestor of said animal model at an embryonic stage, wherein said gene sequence comprises a mouse mammary tumor virus gene (MMTV), a functionally disrupted SV40 gene (SV40) and a human Spy1A gene. 
     
     
         2 . The transgenic non-human animal model of  claim 1 , wherein said animal model is hemizygous of said MMTV-SV40-Spy1A gene sequence, and said human Spy1A gene comprises a modified human Spy1A gene of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a conservatively modified variant thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The transgenic non-human animal model of  claim 1 , wherein said MMTV-SV40-Spy1A gene sequence is introduced into the genome of said animal model or said ancestor by microinjecting a fragment sequence obtained from restriction enzyme digestion of SEQ ID NO: 5 or a conservatively modified variant thereof with XhoI and SpeI. 
     
     
         4 . The transgenic non-human animal model of  claim 3 , wherein said animal model is selected from the group consisting of a mouse and a rat.