A transgenic mouse model provides a novel biological assay of topical glucocorticosteroid potency.

Background And Design: A homozygous line of transgenic mice that expresses the human elastin promoter/CAT (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) reporter gene construct in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated manner is presented. Previous studies have shown that subcutaneous injections of various glucocorticosteroids up-regulate the human transgene in the mouse skin potentially through their interaction with three putative glucocorticosteroid-responsive elements contained within the human elastin promoter. In this study, we propose the use of these transgenic mice as a model system for assaying the potency of various topical glucocorticosteroid preparations.

Skin elastic fibres: regulation of human elastin promoter activity in transgenic mice.

Elastic fibres form an extracellular network which provides elasticity and resilience to tissues such as the skin. To study the regulation of human elastin gene expression, we have developed a line of transgenic mice which harbour 5.2 kb of human elastin gene promoter region in their genome.

Glucocorticosteroids up-regulate human elastin gene promoter activity in transgenic mice.

Recent characterization of the human elastin gene identified three putative glucocorticoid responsive elements (GRE) within the 5'-flanking DNA. To test the functionality of these cis-elements, transgenic mice that express a human elastin promoter-reporter gene (CAT) construct in a tissue-specific manner were injected with triamcinolone acetonide (TMC) or dexamethasone (DEX), two glucocorticosteroids in clinical use. Subcutaneous injection of these glucocorticoids resulted in a marked, up to 28-fold, enhancement of the CAT activity in the skin at the site of injection.

Transforming growth factor-beta up-regulates human elastin promoter activity in transgenic mice.

We have recently developed transgenic mice which express approximately 5.2 kb of the human elastin promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene (J. Biol.

Tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression of human elastin promoter activity in transgenic mice.

We have recently cloned the entire human elastin gene, including approximately 5.2 kilobases of the 5'-flanking sequences. To examine tissue-specific expression of the elastin gene, we have developed a transgenic mouse line that expresses the human elastin promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene.