Ifng^{tm1(Thy1)Weav}

A construct containing an IRES element, coding sequence for a variant of Thy1 (Thy1.1), and a floxed neomycin selection cassette was knocked into the gene locus immediately after the stop codon but before the polyadenylation site. Founder mice were crossed with EIIa-cre transgenic mice to remove the floxed neomycin cassette, leaving behind a single loxP site. The targeting strategy ensured that the knocked in mRNA transcript contained the endogenous 3' untranslated region and the polyadenylation site that are important for regulation of IFN-gamma expression. Co-expression of Thy1 and IFN-gamma were detected in CD4 T cells cultured under Th1-polarizing conditions. In vivo, Thy1 expression by effector T cells was transient and downregulated rapidly in a manner similar to IFN-gamma expression. (J:144542)