Efficient Human Growth Hormone Gene Expression in the Milk of Non-transgenic Goats

Han, Z.; Wu, S.; Li, Qingwang; Li, J.; Gao, D.; Li, K.; Liu, Z. W.; Zhao, H.

doi:10.14712/fb2009055010017

Folia Biologica > Archive > 2009, Vol. 55 > Issue 1 > Efficient Human Growth Hormone Gene…

Fol. Biol. 2009, 55, 17-22

https://doi.org/10.14712/fb2009055010017

Efficient Human Growth Hormone Gene Expression in the Milk of Non-transgenic Goats

Z. Han^1,2, S. Wu^1,2, Qingwang Li^1,2, J. Li², D. Gao², K. Li², Z. W. Liu², H. Zhao²

¹College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
²Department of Biological Engineering, College of Environment & Chemical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China

Received August 2008
Accepted January 2009

Heterogenous expression of recombinant proteins in milk of livestock at a large scale is very labour-intensive to be achieved with current transgenic animals, and usually seen as time-consuming, expensive and technically most challenging. Here we describe a convenient system for transient production of recombinant human growth hormone and its extensive use in recombinant protein production for therapeutic purposes. In this study, an adenoviral vector containing the GFP gene and hGH gene was constructed for direct infusion into the epithelium of mammary glands of goats via the teat canal during the period of natural lactation. Western-blot analysis of milk samples obtained from all of the viral-treated founders indicated that the recombinant hGH (rhGH) was secreted into the milk of the goats. The concentrations of rhGH in milk ranged from 0.6 to 2.4 mg/ml and lasted for more than 10 days during lactation. These data suggest that it is possible to produce larger amounts of recombinant human growth hormone in the milk of livestock animals by using replication-defective adenoviruses.

Keywords

adenovirus vector, human growth hormone, mammary gland, milk, goat.

Funding

This work was partially supported by grants from the Institute of Science and Technology of Qinhuangdao City of Hebei Province of China research foundation (#D08) and the PhD Foundation of Yanshan University (#B297).