Genetically modified receptors

Both the generation of mice overexpressing A3 adenosine receptors and targeted deletion of the A3 receptor gene have added important knowledge to the understanding of various functions of this adenosine receptor subtype. In particular its role in cardiovascular function was confirmed in numerous studies with genetically modified animals. 

I. Dmitriev, V. Krasnykh, C. R. Miller, M. Wang, E. Kashentseva, G. Mikheeva, N. Belousova, and D. T. Curiel, An adenovirus vector with genetically modified fibers demonstrates expanded tropism via utilization of a coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor-independent cell entry mechanism, J. Virol. 72 9706 (1998). 

Bailey SJ, Toth M. Variability in the benzodiazepine response of serotonin 5-HT1A receptor null mice displaying anxiety-like phenotype evidence for genetic modifiers in the 5-HT-mediated regulation of GABA(A) receptors. J Neurosci 2004 24(28) 6343-6351. 

Animal models of disease play a critical role in the drug discovery process and are important in the lead candidate selection process as well. Categories of animal disease models include spontaneous disease, induced models (e.g., chemically, immunologically), xenograft models, infection models, and genetically modified models (e.g., transgenic knockouts (KOs) or knock-ins (KIs), humanized animals (e.g., expressing the human protein or receptor). The sub-... 

Lymphoblastoid IFN-a also exists this is a mixture of natural IFN-a subtypes with different structures of the carbohydrate chains. Furthermore, a consensus IFN-a has been developed this is a genetically modified IFN-a, which has the properties of various IFN-a subtypes. Thus its biological activity is increased (by ca. 30% in chronic hepatitis C, probably due to better receptor affinity). 

Sprengel R, Single FN. 1999. Mice with genetically modified NMDA and AMPA receptors. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 868 494-501... 

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