STOCK Sftpa1^tm1Kor/J

Stock number: 004964
Product name: SP-A-
Research areas: Immunology, Inflammation and Autoimmunity Research, Internal/Organ Research, Research Tools

Description

These Sftpa1 knock-out mice are more susceptible to group B streptococcal infections due to impaired bacteria clearance.

Detailed description

Mice that are homozygous for the targeted mutation are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. No gene product (mRNA or protein) is detected by Northern or Western blot analysis of lung tissue from homozygous mice. Homozygotes are more susceptible (pneumonia and sepsis) to group B streptococcal, P. aeruginosa, and H. influenzae infections due to impaired bacteria clearance. Alveolar macrophages have impaired superoxide radical production. Administration of surfactant protein A increases phagocytosis of bacteria by macrophages. When experimentally infected with respiratory syncytial virus or influenza A, homozygotes have increased viral titer, pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration and cytokine levels. This mutant mouse strain represents a model that may be useful in studies of host defense against respiratory pathogens and innate immune function.

In an attempt to offer alleles on well-characterized or multiple genetic backgrounds, alleles are frequently moved to a genetic background different from that on which an allele was first characterized. This is the case for the strain above. It should be noted that the phenotype could vary from that originally described. We will modify the strain description if necessary as published results become available.

Development

A targeting vector containing neomycin resistance and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase genes was used to disrupt the 3' end of exon 3, intron 3 and the 5' end of exon 4. The construct was electroporated into 129P2/OlaHsd derived E14.1 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into C57BL/6 blastocysts. The resulting chimeric male animals were crossed to NIH Swiss black mice.

Allele

Symbol: Sftpa1^tm1Kor
Name: targeted mutation 1, Thomas R Korfhagen
MGI accession ID: MGI:2183737
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Null/Knockout
Marker symbol: Sftpa1
Marker name: surfactant associated protein A1
Chromosome: 14
Strain of origin: 129P2/OlaHsd
Molecular note: Portions of exons 3 and 4 (base pairs 795 through 1049) were deleted by the insertion of a PGK-neo cassette. Northern blot analysis of RNA obtained from lung tissue showed an absence of transcript in homozygous mutant mice. The lack of encoded protein was confirmed by Western blot analysis of lung homogenates and immunohistochemical staining of alveolar type II cells.