The Nab2- null allele has a neo cassette replacing exons 1-6 of the Ngfi-A binding protein 2 (Nab2) gene. Nab2 encodes a transcription factor for the EGR (early growth response) family of transactivators that can positively or negatively modulate target gene transcription. Nab2 has been implicated in macrophage development, peripheral T-cell activation, cardiac hypertrophy, peripheral neuropathy, and prostate cancer. Homozygous animals are viable and fertile. They exhibit a profound congenital hypomyelinating phenotype. They also exhibit reduced thymus size and decreased numbers of thymocytes compared with wildtype mice. Also, the number of thymocytes in Nab2- males decreases more rapidly with age, while females show neither reduced thymocyte numbers nor accelerated thymocyte loss with age, compared to female wildtype mice. Nab2- mice show accelerated decrease in thymic cellularity with age and enhanced thymocyte sensitivity to stress.

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The Nab2- null allele has a neo cassette replacing exons 1-6 of the Nab2 gene. These mice may be useful for studying the role of NAB2 in peripheral nervous system myelination, peripheral T-cell activation, and thymic cellularity.