Reporter gene construct containing 1.4-kB α1-proteinase inhibitor promoter confers expression in the cornea of transgenic mice

Abstract

A 1.4-kb human α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1-PI) 5′-flanking sequence fused to the E. coli LacZ gene was used to generate transgenic mice. The 1.4-kb α1-PI fragment was found to target LacZ expression preferentially in the epithelium and stroma of the mouse cornea, and moderately or weakly in white blood cells and a few other tissues, such as the skin and brain. This finding implies that the α1-PI promoter may offer an option for targeting foreign genes in both the epithelial and stromal layers of the cornea in future transgenic experiments. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.