Transgenic Human Interleukin-21 Mouse Model

Available for licensing is a mouse model that constitutively expresses human interleukin-21 (IL-21). Traditionally, human IL-21 transgenic mouse models are difficult to produce as those with high IL-21 levels exhibit growth retardation and die before sexual maturity. The investigators generated transgenic mice that express human IL-21, which can stimulate murine cells in vitro thereby providing an accurate model to elucidate IL-21's role in immunity, immune disorders, and cancer.

IL-21 is a type I cytokine whose receptor is expressed on T, B, and natural killer cells. IL-21 has pleiotropic actions ranging from augmenting the proliferation of T cells to driving the differentiation of B cells into memory cells and terminally differentiated plasma cells. Moreover, IL-21 has anti-tumor activity by augmenting natural killer cell activity. This mouse model allows studying human IL-21 in vivo and its role in a variety of diseases such as autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, allergy, and cancer.