Construction， breeding， and genotypic identification of an inducible mouse model with skin CD4+ T cell deficiency
10.19405/j.cnki.issn1000–1492.2026.06.011
- VernacularTitle:诱导性皮肤CD4+ T细胞缺失小鼠模型的构建、繁育和基因鉴定
- Author:
Na SHAO
1
;
Xuyang ZHOU
2
;
Ting CAO
2
;
Ying ZOU
1
Author Information
1. Shanghai Clinical College of Dermatology， Anhui Medical University， Shanghai 200443
2. Department of Allergy / Allergic Dermatoses Clinical Center， Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital， Shanghai 200443
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
skin;
CD4+ T cells;
Cre-loxP system;
DTR system;
CD4-iDTR;
CD4+ T -cell ablation
- From:
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui
2026;61(6):1061-1068
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo establish and characterize an inducible， CD4+ T
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cell-specific ablation mouse model （CD4-iDTR） using the Cre-loxP and diphtheria toxin receptor （DTR） systems， and to evaluate its depletion efficacy and specificity. MethodsCD4-iDTR mice were generated through cross-breeding， with genotypes confirmed via PCR-based screening. Mice were categorized into an untreated （control） group and a diphtheria toxin （DT） induction group. Flow cytometry was employed to compare the baseline distribution of CD4+ T cells between untreated CD4-iDTR and wild-type C57BL/6 mice.In the DT group， CD4+ T cell ablation was induced by subcutaneous DT administration. The depletion efficiency in skin tissues and skin-draining lymph nodes （sdLNs） was quantified at 24 h and 1 week post-injection. Furthermore， the proportions of neutrophils， macrophages， dendritic cells， and other CD11b+ immune cell subsets in the skin were monitored to assess the model specificity. ResultsGenomic profiling confirmed the successful generation of the CD4-iDTR line. Under steady-state conditions， no significant differences were observed in the frequency or absolute number of CD4+ T cells in the skin and sdLNs between CD4-iDTR and C57BL/6 mice （P>0.05）. Following DT induction， the CD4+ T cell population in the skin exhibited decline within 24 h and 1 week （P<0.05）， whereas the CD4+ T cell counts in sdLNs remained stable. The percentages of cutaneous neutrophils， macrophages， and other CD11b+ myeloid populations were not significantly altered following DT treatment （P>0.05）. ConclusionThe CD4-iDTR mouse model is successfully established and bred， achieving efficient， specific， and inducible ablation of cutaneous CD4+ T cells without significant interference with the skin immune microenvironment. This model serves as an ideal experimental tool for investigating skin-specific immunological mechanisms.
