Hematopoiesis is severely altered in mice with an induced osteoblast deficiency

We previously reported a transgenic mouse model expressing herpesvirus thymidine kinase (TK) gene under the control of a 2.3-kilobase fragment of the rat collagen alpha1 type I promoter (Col2.3 Delta TK). This construct confers lineage-specific expression in developing osteoblasts, allowing the conditional ablation of osteoblast lineage after treatment with ganciclovir (GCV). After GCV treatment these mice have profound alterations on bone formation leading to a progressive bone loss. In addition, treated animals also lose bone marrow cellularity. In this report we characterized hematopoietic parameters in GCV-treated Col2.3 Delta TK mice, and we show that after treatment transgenic animals lose lymphoid,…

• OI
  Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation
• UO
  University of Connecticut
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: AI46708
• NI
  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• NI
  National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases