Transgenic mouse model for estrogen-regulated lipoprotein metabolism: studies on apoVLDL-II expression in transgenic mice.

We have produced transgenic mice that express an estrogen-responsive avian apolipoprotein, apoVLDL-II. An apoVLDL-II natural gene construct containing 4.7 kb of 5' flanking and 19 bp of 3' flanking sequences together with the 4 exon/3 intron structural gene was expressed in a liver-specific manner in transgenic mice. A single injection of estrogen caused a 5.9- to 7.5-fold stimulation of apoVLDL-II mRNA in the liver. The transgene mRNA had the same initiation sites of transcription as the native mRNA isolated from laying hen liver, and the same sites were used before and after estrogen treatment. The number of hepatocytes that stain positive for immunoreactive apoVLDL-II increased from < 1% to 40-60% in 24 h after estrogen treatment. Thus, in trangenic mice as in the cockerel, hepatocytes are biochemically heterogeneous and induction of apoVLDL-II synthesis occurs by recruitment of hepatocytes. In the plamsa compartment, compared to controls, transgenic mice have a 3- to 5-fold higher basal total plasma triglyceride which was accounted for by a 5.4-fold high basal VLDL triglyceride. Estrogen treatment results in a approximately 2-fold increase in the VLDL triglycerides over basal levels and 8.5-fold increase over nontransgenic mice, which did not show any change in VLDL in response to estrogen. Transgenic mice with the integrated apoVLDL-II gene provide a useful model for the study of the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism by estrogen.