News Releases & Research Results Successful generation of disease model animals by target-specific gene switching

The results of collaborative research and development conducted by Professor Izuho Hatada, Associate Professor Takuro Horii, and Assistant Professor Sumiyo Morita of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Lecturer Hiroshi Kogo of Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Professor Mitsuyoshi Nakao and Associate Professor Shinjiro Hino of the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University.

• The research group successfully generated disease mouse models for Silver-Russell syndromeby target-specific gene switching, through application of epigenome (genetic switch) editing.
  * A disease characterized by fetal developmental delay, severe growth disorder after birth, characteristic facial and cranial features, including triangular face and broad forehead, and body asymmetry, among others.
• The results of this R&D should be applied to basic and therapeutic research on Silver-Russell syndrome and other diseases caused by abnormal gene switching, including cancers, metabolic diseases, and immune diseases.

This R&D project was conducted with the support of the Basis for Supporting Innovative Drug Discovery and Life Science Research (BINDS) by AMED.

The results were published in Genome Biology, a British scientific journal, on April 1.

Horii T., et al. Successful generation of epigenetic disease model mice by targeted demethylation of the epigenome Genome Biology
DOI：10.1186/s13059-020-01991-8