Women are the biggest sufferers of anaemia, a disorder of the blood where 22% of women under the age of 50 are anaemic (2). Symptoms include fatigue, poor concentration and dyspnoea. Now these sufferers can now look to Chickens for an improved quality of life.
Recent research (1) carried out retroviral vector containing human erythropoietin expression in Chimeric Chickens. Interestingly, these genetically modified layer chickens produced human erythropoietin in their eggs. This is of huge medical importance as human erythropoietin is used in treating and preventing anaemia, in which human erythropoietin is a regulator of red cell production promoting erythroid differentiation and initiating haemoglobin synthesis.
It is proposed that Chimeric Chickens in this study secrete human erythropoietin from their tubular gland cells of the magnum and thus deposited in the egg white of the layers eggs. Furthermore, the significance of these recent results is more than just that these chickens produce human erythropoietin in their eggs. It is the commercial importance that human erythropoietin is produced at a high concentration (3) for a duration of at least 2 year in their layer life (1).
Importantly, Chickens are the animal of choice for production of therapeutic human proteins such as human erythropoietin. Chickens are very physiologically different to mammals and therefore are immune to potent effects. Whereas transgenic mammals are not.
Recent research (1) carried out retroviral vector containing human erythropoietin expression in Chimeric Chickens. Interestingly, these genetically modified layer chickens produced human erythropoietin in their eggs. This is of huge medical importance as human erythropoietin is used in treating and preventing anaemia, in which human erythropoietin is a regulator of red cell production promoting erythroid differentiation and initiating haemoglobin synthesis.
It is proposed that Chimeric Chickens in this study secrete human erythropoietin from their tubular gland cells of the magnum and thus deposited in the egg white of the layers eggs. Furthermore, the significance of these recent results is more than just that these chickens produce human erythropoietin in their eggs. It is the commercial importance that human erythropoietin is produced at a high concentration (3) for a duration of at least 2 year in their layer life (1).
Importantly, Chickens are the animal of choice for production of therapeutic human proteins such as human erythropoietin. Chickens are very physiologically different to mammals and therefore are immune to potent effects. Whereas transgenic mammals are not.
Ashley Vermeulen 41782840
Primary reference:
(1) Kodama. D., Nishimiya. D., Iwata. K., Yamaguchi. K., Yoshida. K., Kawabe. Y., Motono. M., Watanabe. H., Yamashita. T, Nishijima. K., Kamihira. A., Lijima. S. (2008) Production of human erythropoietin by chimeric chickens. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 367: 834–839
Secondary references
(2) Kusumi., E., Shoji. M., Endou. S., Kishi. Y., Shibata. T., Murashige. N., Hamaki. T., Matsumura. T., Yuji. K., Yoneyama. A., Kami. M. (2006). Prevalence of anemia among healthy women in 2 metropolitan areas of Japan. International journal of hematology 84(3): 217-219
(3) http://www.deccanherald.com/Archives/apr252005/snt96342005424.asp
(4) http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6730822/fulltext.html
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