Comparison of milk quality of transgenic rabbits carrying different gene constructs

Abstract

Basic objective of this research was to compare the milk quality of New Zealand White transgenic rabbit females expressing recombinant human protein C (hPC) or recombinant human factor VIII (hFVIII) in the mammary gland during first lactation with that of non-transgenic rabbit females of the same age. Transgenic founders were generated by the microinjection of foreign DNA (mWAP-hPC gene construct or mWAP-hFVIII) into the egg. Then several generations of transgenic rabbits were obtained after mating of transgenic founder rabbits with non-transgenic rabbits. Quality of milk (content of fat, protein, lactose, dry ash, and some minerals) from transgenic rabbits was determined. Our analyses of transgenic rabbit milk samples showed that all the transgenic females (carrying hPC or hFVIII) tested in this work produced lower or higher amounts of recombinant human protein C or recombinant human FVIII, depending on transgenic females, with proved biological activity. No significant differences in the content of milk fat, protein, lactose and somatic cell counts were found. Our results showed that milk performance of transgenic rabbits over several generations (using both gene constructs) did not differ significantly from those of non-transgenic animals.