Transgenic Engineering of Cholinesterases: Tools for Exploring Cholinergic Responses.
Abstract
During the year 1998, we have made progress in delineating the non-catalytic roles of acetylcholinesterase. This activity involved the construction of several expression vectors and directing their expression in transiently transgenic tadpoles of Xenopus laevis, as well as in cultured Xenopus motoneurons and rat phaeochromocytoma cells. We have further advanced the creation and characterization of transgenic mice which express several engineered variants of human acetylcholinesterase. We discovered an intriguing feedback response which leads to the accumulation of soluble monomeric acetylcholinesterase following acute psychological stress events or under exposure to anti-cholinesterases. Current efforts are focussed at the development of an antisense approach to prevent the accumulation of excess acetylcholinesterase and thus avoid both the imbalanced cholinergic neurotransmission that is caused by such accumulation and the adverse consequences associated with the non-catalytic activities of the excess protein.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA377978
Entities
People
- Hermona Soreq
Organizations
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem