Astrocyte-Specific BAFF and GFP Double Transgenic Mice

Abstract

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed mouse models that constitutively express B cell Activating Factor (BAFF).

Full Description

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed transgenic mouse models that constitutively express B cell Activating Factor (BAFF) in the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) family, and Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) under the control of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) promoter in astrocytes.

Applications

• Study the possible benefit of therapies directly against BAFF and its receptors, specifically targeting the Central Nervous System (CNS)
• Determine strategies to prevent disease or provide protection in CNS inflammatory disorders
• Study and design of drug delivery to the CNS
• Study the role of BAFF in other disorders and processes (e.g., neurodegeneration, neuroprotection, neuroregeneration, and CNS infection)

Features/Benefits

• Constitutive astrocyte-specific BAFF transgenic mouse model that can be used to test whether BAFF expression in the CNS is sufficient for the development of inflammatory disorders in CNS (e.g., Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, EAE)
• FLAG tagged BAFF can distinguish BAFF overexpression by astrocytes from endogenous BAFF
• GFAP-BAFF/GFAP-GFP double transgenic mice can be used to determine whether BAFF expression is astrocyte-specific