Rat Model Developed as Part of Its Lou Gehrig Challenge Initiative
Calabasas Hill, Calif., August 2, 2002…The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA), as part of its Lou Gehrig Challenge: Cure ALS research initiative, facilitated the generation of a rat model for ALS. Dr. David Howland, principal investigator at Wyeth Research generated transgenic rats expressing G93A SOD1*.
The rat model was generated with the understanding that it would be made freely available to the scientific community to support efforts in the further understanding of ALS as well as helping to reach the goal of finding successful therapeutics. Already 16 different laboratories have requested the rat model for their research efforts. The ALS Association is subsidizing the rat model so that these rats will be distributed to investigators at reduced cost.
The development of a mutant SOD1 rat is extremely valuable to further ALS research efforts. This model system will provide a resource to pursue experimentation currently difficult or impossible to do with existing transgenic ALS mice. The model will enable the testing of therapeutic compounds at early stages and throughout disease progression. This is more difficult in the mouse models due to the challenge of drug delivery at early ages. In addition, it will provide an excellent model to test the use of stem cell therapy for ALS and to study early markers of disease progression in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The rat model is being made available through Taconic through the company's Emerging Models Program. Orders for rats can be placed by contacting Holly Voorhhees or Kim Kleiber at 888-TACONIC. Rats will be available for shipment on September 1, 2002. For more information or ordering details, please visit Taconic.
* Howland et al., 2002. Focal loss of the glutamate transporter EAAT2 in a transgenic rat model of SOD1 mutant-mediated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). PNAS 99(3): 1604-1609. Click here for abstract.
