Mice lacking all conventional MHC class II genes

L Madsen, N Labrecque, J Engberg… - Proceedings of the …, 1999 - National Acad Sciences
L Madsen, N Labrecque, J Engberg, A Dierich, A Svejgaard, C Benoist, D Mathis, L Fugger
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1999National Acad Sciences
MHC class II (MHC-II) molecules play a central role in the selection of the T cell repertoire, in
the establishment and regulation of the adaptive immune response, and in autoimmune
deviation. We have generated knockout mice lacking all four of the classical murine MHC-II
genes (MHCIIΔ/Δ mice), via a large (80-kilobase) deletion of the entire class II region that
was engineered by homologous recombination and Cre recombinase-mediated excision.
These mice feature immune system perturbations like those of Aα and Aβ knockout animals …
MHC class II (MHC-II) molecules play a central role in the selection of the T cell repertoire, in the establishment and regulation of the adaptive immune response, and in autoimmune deviation. We have generated knockout mice lacking all four of the classical murine MHC-II genes (MHCIIΔ/Δ mice), via a large (80-kilobase) deletion of the entire class II region that was engineered by homologous recombination and Cre recombinase-mediated excision. These mice feature immune system perturbations like those of Aα and Aβ knockout animals, notably a dearth of CD4+ lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen. No new anatomical or physiological abnormalities were observed in MHCIIΔ/Δ mice. Because these animals are devoid of all classical MHC-II chains, even unpaired chains, they make excellent recipients for MHC-II transgenes from other species, avoiding the problem of interspecies cross-pairing of MHC-II chains. Therefore, they should be invaluable for engineering “humanized” mouse models of human MHC-II-associated autoimmune disorders.
National Acad Sciences