Research Models

JNPL3(P301L)

Synonyms: TauP301L-JNPL3

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Species: Mouse
Genes: MAPT
Mutations: MAPT P301L
Modification: MAPT: Transgenic
Disease Relevance: Frontotemporal Dementia, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Alzheimer's Disease
Strain Name: Tg(Prnp-MAPT*P301L)JNPL3Hlmc
Genetic Background: C57BL/6, DBA/2, SW Mixed Background
Availability: Taconic: Stock#2508 (homozygote); #1638 (heterozygote and wild-type) has been discontinued.

Summary

These mice were developed in the lab of Mike Hutton at the Mayo Clinic and have been maintained by Taconic since 2000. As originally described, the hemizygous animals express human tau at levels comparable to endogenous murine tau, whereas homozygotes express human tau at approximately twice endogenous levels. Transgene expression was strongest in the cerebellum and hippocampus, followed by the thalamus, hypothalamus, spindal cord, brainstem and cortex. Behaviorally, they develop motor impairment, with 90 percent of animals exhibiting motor and behavioral problems by ten months. They also have limb weakness, a hunched posture, and decreases in grooming and vocalization. Eye irritation is also common, possibily due to carrying the Pde6brd1 retinal degeneration allele (Lewis et al., 2000).

Modification Details

These mice carry a transgene encoding human tau with four microtubule-binding repeat domains and no N-terminal inserts (4R/0N). The transgene contains the P301L mutation and expression is driven by the mouse prion promoter.

Phenotype Characterization

When visualized, these models will distributed over a 18 month timeline demarcated at the following intervals: 1mo, 3mo, 6mo, 9mo, 12mo, 15mo, 18mo+.

Absent

  • Plaques

No Data

  • Cognitive Impairment

Plaques

Absent.

Tangles

Neurofibrillary tangles develop in an age and gene-dose dependent manner; as early as 4.5 months in homozygotes and 6.5 months in heterozygotes. Tangles and Pick-body-like neuronal inclusions in the amygdala, septal nuclei, preoptic nuclei, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla, deep cerebellar nuclei and spinal cord (Lewis et al., 2000).

Neuronal Loss

Neuronal loss, especially in the spinal cord, most prominent in the anterior horn (Lewis et al., 2000).

Gliosis

Astrogliosis (as measured by GFAP reactivity) in brainstem, diencephalon, and basal telencephalon by 10 months (Lewis et al., 2000).

Cognitive Impairment

Unknown.

Last Updated: 02 Feb 2021

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References

Paper Citations

  1. Lewis J, McGowan E, Rockwood J, Melrose H, Nacharaju P, Van Slegtenhorst M, Gwinn-Hardy K, Paul Murphy M, Baker M, Yu X, Duff K, Hardy J, Corral A, Lin WL, Yen SH, Dickson DW, Davies P, Hutton M. Neurofibrillary tangles, amyotrophy and progressive motor disturbance in mice expressing mutant (P301L) tau protein. Nat Genet. 2000 Aug;25(4):402-5. PubMed.

External Citations

  1. Stock#2508 (homozygote)
  2. #1638 (heterozygote and wild-type)

Further Reading