Transgenic Analysis of Human Drug–Metabolizing Enzymes: Preclinical Drug Development and Toxicology

Table 1.

Use of Transgenic Animals

System Potential Use
Gene inactivation or deletion (“knockout”) • Characterization of endogenous function(s) of gene product
• Role of gene product in stress response, toxicity and carcinogenesis
• Development of disease models
Insertion of transgene • Characterization of function(s) of transgene product
• Role of transgene in activation or detoxification of xenobiotics
• Development of disease models
Promoter–Reporter (lacZ , GFP, luciferase) • Characterization of promotor regulation
• Definition of gene expression pattern
• Toxicity screens
Promoter–Transgene • Defined spatiotemporal control of transgene expression
• Role in pharmacokinetics and toxic response
Gene replacement (“humanization”)
• Characterization of function(s) of human gene product
• Role of polymorphic alleles in toxicity and carcinogenesis

This Article

  1. MI September 2003 vol. 3 no. 6 331-343