Alzheimer’s disease transgenic animal models:How to get more similar pathological characteristics? / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Alzheimer’s disease causes and pathogenesis remain unclear, which greatly restrict the screening of drugs. And the main reason is lack of suitable animal models. The developing transgenic animal technology al ows studying the role of certain pathogenic gene in vivo, and has regarded the ideal animal models for Alzheimer’s disease. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the research advance of Alzheimer’s disease transgenic animal models. METHODS:Using“Alzheimer’s disease, transgenic mouse, animal model, dementia”in Chinese and English as the key words, the first author retrieved PubMed and CNKI databases published before July 2013. Final y, 41 articles were included in result analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The etiology of Alzheimer’s disease is diverse, and genetic factor is one important factor. The existing transgenic animal models of Alzheimer’s disease include single genetical y modified models, double genetical y modified models and multiple transgenic models. Single transgenic animal models can make a kind of mutated exogenous gene integrate into the genomes of animals by using recombinant DNA technology. This kind of models can be applied to only study one specific pathological change of Alzheimer’s disease. Double transgenic animal models can make two kinds of mutated exogenous gene integrate into the genomes of animals and simultaneously transfect animals by using recombinant DNA technology. This kind of models is closer to the pathological changes of Alzheimer’s disease than single transgenic animal models, but stil cannot simulate Alzheimer’s disease. Multiple genetical y modified models are obtained with different transgenic mice hybridization or several genes transfection, which are most similar to clinical process and pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease. However, this kind of models may develop a decline in consanguinity. Each kind of animal model has their advantages and shortcomings, and a better transgenic animal model is urgently needed to completely simulate pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.