Nippon Meat Packers, Inc.

Tamotsu Shigehisa

Hiroshi Murakami

Koji Toyomura

Tatsuya Fujimura

Yoichi Takahagi

This invention provides a nonhuman transgenic mammal carrying transgene comprising the regulatory genes capable of functioning in the hyperacute rejection-occurring local cells and gene encoding human N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT-III), or a nonhuman transgenic mammal carrying transgene comprising the regulatory genes and genes encoding GnT-III and the human complement inhibitor. Because of reduced &#x3b1;-Gal antigens in the hyperacute rejection-occurring local cells or because of both reduced &#x3b1;-Gal antigens and expression of the human complement inhibitor, the transgenic mammal of this invention can effectively inhibit the hyperacute rejection caused by discordant xenotransplantation. Consequently, this invention provides the transgenic mammal suitable for organ transplantation.

Transgenic mammals

This invention provides transgenic mammals other than man carrying the gene of the human complement inhibitor (DAF/CD55) and expressing the human complement inhibitor in their organs and tissues, particularly in their endothelial cells. This invention provides nonhuman transgenic mammals useful as laboratory animals in the medical and pharmacological fields and/or sources of organs, tissues, cells and the like for medical treatment of man.

Transgenic non-human mammals expressing the human complement inhibitor (DAF/CD55)

This invention is related to the DNA encoding the porcine complement inhibitor (pMCPcDNA), the porcine complement inhibitor expressed by the DNA, and a method for screening for the porcine complement inhibitor. pMCPcDNA can be obtained by preparing a cDNA library from porcine vascular endothelium and screening for cDNA encoding the porcine complement inhibitor. pMCPcDNA of this invention is useful for production of the porcine complement inhibitor by genetic recombination and for analysis for the promoter region of the porcine complement inhibitor.

DNA encoding porcine complement inhibitor

The present invention provides the base sequence defined as Sequence No. 1, DNA comprising a part of the sequence, or DNA containing the sequence, and relates to a promoter gene of the porcine complement inhibitor. In generating transgenic pigs transformed with human complement inhibitor and/or such thrombosis-inhibiting factors as thrombomudulin (collectively termed the complement inhibitor), DNA of the invention can effectively be used to express the complement inhibitor by integrating the gene into the upstream part of the human complement-inhibitor gene. Since hyperacute rejection, which occurs on transplanting a porcine organ or tissue to man, can be prevented, xenotransplantaion of the porcine organs and tissues to man will become possible. Therefore, the problem of the lack of donors for transplantation can be solved.

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Tsukuba, Japan

Tamotsu Shigehisa