The rTg4510 mouse expresses the P301L mutation in the tau gene associated with frontotemporal dementia and Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17.
Transgene expression in this model is induced through the tetracycline-operon responsive element, which is licensed from TET Systems, and is reversibly suppressed after treatment with doxycycline.
Dr Karen K Hsiao Ashe, Dr Jada Lewis and Dr Michael Hutton have developed the rTg4510 mice that exhibit many salient characteristics of hereditary human dementia in an age-dependent manner including cognitive impairment, motor deficits, the presence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and neuronal loss in the forebrain.
These data, collectively, describe a transgenic mouse that closely mimics human tauopathy and may represent an important model for the future study of tau-related neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease.
PsychoGenics president and CEO Dr Emer Leahy noted this rTg4510 mouse model has been extensively characterized by the company and many other labs and it is delighted to be able to offer it to its clients to help identify treatments for Tau related disorders.
"Using our proprietary behavioral testing platforms and other capabilities, we have confirmed the phenotype described by other labs. In addition to a pronounced nocturnal hyperactivity, we found deficits in the acquisition of two different visual memory tasks.
"Our agreement permits us to offer our customers behavioral and non-behavioral testing in the rTg4510 mouse model, providing a valuable tool in the quest for novel treatments for devastating Tau-associated neurodegenerative diseases," Dr Leahy added.