TRANSGENIC MICE WITH ANTISENSE RNA AGAINST THE NUCLEOCAPSID PROTEIN MESSENGER-RNA OF MOUSE HEPATITIS-VIRUS

In this study transgenic mice which expressed antisense RNA against th e nucleocapsid protein gene of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) under the c ontrol of RSV LTR were produced. These transgenic mice were able to tr ansmit the foreign gene to their progeny in a Mendelian fashion. Antis ense RNA was detected in various tissues from the transgenic mice incl uding liver and brain, the target organs of MHV infection. One strain of transgenic mice derived from founder mouse No. 19 was more resistan t to the lethal challenge of MHV than non-transgenic mice. The results of the present study show the ability of antisense RNA against the vi ral gene to protect against viral infection in vivo.