Transgenic mice that overexpress mouse apolipoprotein B - Evidence that the DNA sequences controlling intestinal expression of the apolipoprotein B gene are distant from the structural gene

An 87-kilobase (kb) P1 bacteriophage clone (p649) spanning the mouse apolipoprotein (apo) B gene was used to generate transgenic mice that express high levels of mouse apoB. Plasma levels of apoB, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein triglycerides were increased, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were decreased in the transgenic mice, compared with nontransgenic littermate controls. Although p649 contained 33 kb of 5'-flanking sequences and 11 kb of 3'-flanking sequences, the tissue pattern of transgene expression was different from that of the endogenous apoB gene. RNA slot blots and RNase protection analysis indicated that the transgene was expressed in the liver but not in the intestine, whereas the endogenous apoB gene was expressed in both tissues. To confirm the absence of transgene expression in the intestine, the mouse apoB transgenic mice were mated with the apoB knockout mice, and transgenic mice that were homozygous for the apoB knockout mutation were obtained. Because of the absence of transgene expression in the intestine, those mice lacked all intestinal apoB synthesis, resulting in a marked accumulation of fats within the intestinal villus enterocytes. The current studies, along with prior studies of human apoB transgenic animals, strongly suggest that the DNA sequence element(s) controlling intestinal expression of the apoB gene is located many kilobases from the structural gene.