Abstract:

To explore bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) function in the developing bone, a BMP4 conditional RNA interference (CRNAi) vector was constructed based on the pBSK/U6 vector with a LoxPneo cassette. The transgene fragment targeting bmp4 was obtained by KpnⅠ and AflⅢ double digestion and was purified before being microinjected into fertilized eggs from FVB/NJ mice. BMP4^CRNAi transgenic mice were genotyped by PCR. And the PCR positive mice were crossed with Col2a1-Cre transgenic mice, whose Cre recombinase was specifically expressed in osteo-chondro-progenitor cells. Bmp4 mRNA expression in primary chondrocytes were examined by semi-quantitive RT-PCR to determine RNA interference efficiency. Results showed that BMP4^CRNAi mice and BMP4 Col2a1-CRNAi mice were produced successfully, and bmp4 knockdown efficiency in primary chondrocytes of BMP4 Col2a1-CRNAi mice was 81%. This transgenic mouse line provides excellent model for studying the role of BMP4 in chondrocyte development, and BMP4CRNAi mouse may be a good model for studying the role of BMP4 in different cells, tissues and organs through crossing with different Cre transgenic mice.