摘要:
Non human animal models are provided for diseases involving erythroid function, particularly myeloproliferative disease. The models are useful for testing and screening of biologically active agents that affect erythropoiesis, and erythroid function. In the animal models of the invention, a hematopoietic stem or progenitor cell (HSC) population that has been genetically altered by the introduction of a mutant JAK2 coding sequence is transplanted into an immunocompromised, xenogeneic, non-human recipient. The recipient animal is engrafted with the cell population at a high frequency, and develops a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by polycythemia.
摘要:
In alternative embodiments, the invention provides compositions and methods for determining the self-renewal potential of a cancer stem cell (CSC) through analysis of the cross-talk between cell self-renewal pathways leading to deregulation and enhanced self-renewal of the CSC, or for predicting the drugability (susceptibility to a drug) of a CSC, and/or for predicting the progression of a cancer that corresponds to the CSC, the method comprising detecting and quantifying in CSCs one or more B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family protein isoform(s) or transcripts (mRNAs, messages) encoding one or more Bcl-2 family protein(s) or protein isoform(s) thereof. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides compositions and methods to determine and measure the levels of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3 beta), glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (GSK-3 alpha), and/or Sonic Hedgehog Homolog (SHH or Shh) family proteins and alternatively spliced transcripts (mRNAs), and Wnt, GSK3beta, GSK3alpha and/or Shh family protein and alternatively spliced transcript ratios in cancer cells, e.g., stem cells, e.g., CSCs, for diagnostic, drug discovery and prognostic purposes.