Mice that are homozygous for the transgene are viable, fertile and normal in size. Males develop reddish, discolored tail lesions beginning at 8 months of age. Females develop tumors at approximately 18 months. Tumors exhibit many characteristics of Kaposi's sarcoma including an increase in spindle cells without identifiable vascular structures, slits containing red blood cells and hemosiderin between cells, expression of phenotypic markers (such as CD31, CD34, and von Willebrand factor), and an association with male gender. Transgenic mice exhibit moderate hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, accelerated wound healing and increased vascular formation in response to wound grafting. This mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of blood pressure, angiogenesis, wound healing, oxidative stress and Kaposi's sarcoma.
