Research Models

Human-BACE1

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Species: Mouse
Genes: BACE1
Modification: BACE1: Transgenic
Disease Relevance: Alzheimer's Disease
Strain Name: N/A
Genetic Background: C57BL
Availability: No longer available through Michael Willem

Modification Details

Transgene expressing wild-type human BACE1 driven by the mouse Thy1 promoter.

The parental origin of the transgenes was shown to influence AD-related pathology in another model, 5xFAD (C57BL6), in which the Thy1 promoter drives transgene expression, possibly due to genomic imprinting of the promoter (Sasmita et al., 2025). While this phenomenon has not yet been demonstrated in Human-BACE1 mice, users of this model should be aware of the findings in 5xFAD mice when designing and documenting breeding strategies.

Neuropathology

Not observed.

Cognition/Behavior

Unknown.

Other Phenotypes

Transgene is expressed in neurons only. No change in the processing of endogenous murine APP.

Related Strains

This mouse was used to generate a double-transgenic by breeding to mice overexpressing human APP with the London mutation (V717I) driven by the mouse thy1 promoter. The APP(V717I) single transgenics develop widespread amyloid plaques in brain parenchyma as well as cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and BACE1 expression increased the number of amyloid plaques in the double-transgenic mice. In contrast, vascular amyloid deposition was lower in the double-transgenic mice relative to sex- and age-matched APP(V717I) single transgenics (Willem et al., 2004).

Last Updated: 31 Jan 2025

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References

Research Models Citations

  1. 5xFAD (C57BL6)

Paper Citations

  1. Sasmita AO, Ong EC, Nazarenko T, Mao S, Komarek L, Thalmann M, Hantakova V, Spieth L, Berghoff SA, Barr HJ, Hingerl M, Börensen F, Hirrlinger J, Simons M, Stevens B, Depp C, Nave KA. Parental origin of transgene modulates amyloid-β plaque burden in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neuron. 2025 Jan 20; Epub 2025 Jan 20 PubMed.
  2. Willem M, Dewachter I, Smyth N, Van Dooren T, Borghgraef P, Haass C, Van Leuven F. beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 increases amyloid deposition in brain parenchyma but reduces cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy in aging BACE x APP[V717I] double-transgenic mice. Am J Pathol. 2004 Nov;165(5):1621-31. PubMed.

Further Reading

No Available Further Reading