Transgenic cattle produced by nuclear transfer of fetal fibroblasts carrying Ipr1 gene at a specific locus

This study aimed to assess the effects of the intracellular pathogen resistance 1 (Ipr1) transgene on preventing infection of Mycobacterium bovis in cattle. A specific expression vector for the Ipr1 gene was constructed and inserted in the genome between surfactant protein A and methionine adenosyltransferase I of bovine fetal fibroblasts. After SCNT, cleavage (86.9% vs. 87.4%, P > 0.05) and blastocyst developmental rates (34.6% vs. 33.5%, P > 0.05) were similar between transgenic and nontransgenic bovine fetal fibroblasts. Four surviving and one dead Ipr1-transgenic female cattle were produced by transfer of the SCNT blastocysts. Polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analyses confirmed that the Ipr1 transgene of the cattle was located at the expected site. Inserting Ipr1 gene did not affect the expression of the surrounding genes. Main death modality of M bovis-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from Ipr1-transgenic cattle was apoptosis, whereas that of PBMCs from control cattle was necrosis. In addition, the number of colony-forming units in PBMCs of Ipr1-transgenic cattle was significantly lower than that of the control cattle (P < 0.05). The finding that expression of Ipr1 transgene in PBMCs significantly increased anti-M bovis activity suggested breeding anti-M bovis cattle population by the transgenic SCNT technique could be a feasible strategy.