Transgenic cloned sheep overexpressing ovine toll-like receptor 4.

An ovine fetal fibroblast cell line highly expressing TLR4 was established by inserting TLR4 into a reconstructive p3S-LoxP plasmid. Transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4 were produced by transferring TLR4-transfected fetal fibroblasts into metaphase (M)II-stage enucleated oocytes (using SCNT). Because reconstructed embryos derived from MII-stage enucleated oocytes matured in vivo using a delayed-activated method had a higher pregnancy rate (18.52%) than that from MII-stage enucleated oocytes matured in vitro, the former procedure was used. Nine TLR4-transgenic live births were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis. Increased expression of TLR4 at mRNA and protein levels in ear tissues of transgenic lambs were verified using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. More toll-like receptor 4 protein was expressed by peripheral blood monocytes and/or macrophages collected from 3-month-old TLR4-transgenic than nontransgenic lambs at 0, 1, and 4 hours after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Furthermore, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor α secreted by monocytes and/or macrophages of TLR4-transgenic lambs were significantly higher at 1 hour. Therefore, lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses from monocytes and/or macrophages occurred sooner in TLR4-transgenic lambs, consistent with an enhanced host immune response. In conclusion, transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4 are a primary model to investigate the role of transgenic animals in disease resistance and have potential for breeding sheep with disease resistance.