This technology is a method for generating humanized mouse models for immune system research by introducing human leukocyte antigen (HLA) transgenes into swine thymic tissue.
Humanized mice that model the human immune system rely on the engraftment of human fetal thymic tissue. This serves to generate a diverse repertoire of functioning human T cells for experimentation in the areas of xenotransplantation, autoimmunity, and infection. However, human fetal tissue is a precarious source of tissue for such research applications due to ethical challenges and ongoing risk of prohibitory regulations. In view of this, there remains a need for alternative, non-human sources of fetal thymic tissue for humanized mouse models in order to sustain this valuable research tool.
This technology utilizes transgenic swine as an alternative source of fetal thymic tissue in humanized mouse models. The targeted introduction of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) transgenes using CRISPR-Cas9 technology into swine allows for the swine thymic epithelium to express the HLA molecules necessary for the positive selection of HLA-restricted T cells upon engraftment in the mouse. In sum, this technology facilitates the robust modeling of the human immune system in mice while avoiding the need for human fetal tissue.
IR CU19383
Licensing Contact: Jerry Kokoshka