UNITED STATES: U.S. RESEARCHERS MOVE ONE STEP CLOSER TO PRODUCING WORLD'S FIRST ALLERGEN-FREE CATS

Record ID: 338259

  • Title: UNITED STATES: U.S. RESEARCHERS MOVE ONE STEP CLOSER TO PRODUCING WORLD'S FIRST ALLERGEN-FREE CATS
  • Date: 11th July 2001
  • Summary: STORRS, CONNECTICUT (UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT) (REUTERS- ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE SHOT: RESEARCH CENTRE 0.04 2. MED SHOT OF TRANS GENIC FACILITY 0.08 3. SV: TWO SCIENTISTS WALK DOWN HALLWAY; ZOOM INTO SIGN FOR TRANSGENIC ANIMAL FACILTY 0.17 4. ASSORTED LAB SHOTS: SET UP FOR NUCLEAR TRANSFER TWO SHOT OF SCIENTISTS 0.22 5. CLOSE UP OF SCIENTIST 0.26 6. CLOSE UP OF HIS HANDS 0.28 7. MED SHOT OF SCIENTIST 0.32 8. SV/SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOCTOR CINDY TIAN, TRANSGENIC ANIMAL FACILITY, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SAYING: "Number one, we are going to demonstrate that we can successfully clone a cat, because no one in the world has been able to clone a cat. Second, we are going to knock out a gene in vitro, and third step - we are going to clone a cat with the gene knocked out." (2 SHOTS) 0.55 9. SV: FEMALE SCIENTIST HANDS CLONED CELLS TO MALE RESEARCHER 1.02 10. CU/SV: CLONING PROCEDURE DONE UNDER MICROSCOPE (NUCLEAR TRANSFER) (2 SHOTS) 1.15 11. CLOSE UP OF A NUCLEUS OF CELL BEING SQUEEZED OUT 2.36 12. SV: RESEARCHERS LOOKING AT THE SCREEN 2.44 13. SV'S OF ADULT CLONED COWS (2 SHOTS) 2.55 14. SV OF OFFSPRING OF CLONED COWS 3.00 NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 6, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. SV: GIRL CARRYING CAT INTO HER BEDROOM 3.09 16. CLOSE UP CAT SITTING ON BED BEING BRUSHED 3.12 17. SV: GIRL STROKING CAT 3.16 18. VARIOUS DR MICHAEL MARCUS AND DAUGHTER SITTING IN GARDEN (4 SHOTS) 3.29 19. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR MICHAEL MARCUS, DIRECTOR OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY. MAIMONEDES MEDICAL CENTRE, NEW YORK, SAYING: "The protein is found in the cat's dander, in the cat's saliva and urine, and so, as cats groom themselves frequently, the protein gets spread from the saliva to the cat's hair and - as people either handle the cat, or they inhale cat hair through exposure in the home, the protein contacts the patients through their mouths and their airways, and reactions can then occur." 3.52 20. SV: DAUGHTER CARRYING CAT TO FOOD BOWL 3.56 21. SCU: CAT EATING 4.00 22. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOCTOR MICHAEL MARCUS SAYING: "If we're able to alter the protein, so it doesn't affect the cat in a bad way, and yet it does decrease our allergy reaction, then it's an option and I think it would be a wonderful one for cat lovers" 4.10 23. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLIVIA PALLOTA SAYING: "I hope it works, it's actually kind of cool how a person may not be allergic to it". 4.16 24. LAS: GIRL PLAYING WITH CAT IN HOUSE 4.18 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: STORRS, CONNECTICUT AND NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK; UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA2PNNPO3LZJY8Z8NC8JRUFYMSC
  • Story Text: If you love cats, but suffer from unpleasant allergic
    reactions - don't despair. U.S. scientists are providing a
    cutting edge solution that could lead to the first
    allergen-free cats.


    U.S. researchers have moved one step closer to
    producing the world's first allergen-free cats.

    The allergic symptoms in humans is caused by the body's
    reaction to a specific allergen, which is a protein found in
    the pet's saliva or dander. The allergen protein secreted on
    the cat's skin becomes airborne and causes allergic reactions
    in humans.

    Scientists at the University of Connecticut have
    successfully impregnated a cat with cloned embryos from
    somatic (adult) cells of a donor cat. If the experiment is
    successful, the world's first cloned cat could be delivered in
    about 60 days. According to research scientist Doctor Cindy
    Tian, the nuclear transfer, or injection of the genetic
    material of cloned cat embryos into the feline recipient, is
    one of three critical steps needed to produce an allergen-free
    cat. Tian, of the Transgenic Animal Facility at the
    University of Connecticut, explains that "Number one, we are
    going to demonstrate that we can successfully clone a cat,
    because no one in the world has been able to clone a cat.

    Second, we are going to knock out a gene in vitro, and third
    step we are going to clone a cat with the gene knocked out."
    The "Knockout "gene Tian is referring to, is the one which
    produces a protein that causes an allergic reaction in humans.

    Kittens born with the "knock out" (deactivated) gene will be
    bred to produce a line of allergen-free cats.

    In 1999, the transgenic facility produced Amy, the first
    cloned cow in the US using adult somatic cells. A number of
    healthy calves were born from the four cloned cows.

    Cat allergies are fairly common. Symptoms include watery,
    itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing and skin rashes.

    One of those sufferers is 12 year old Olivia Pallota from
    Staten Island in New York. An ardent cat lover, Olivia
    couldn't bear to get rid of her cats, despite her allergic
    reactions.

    Olivia was treated with a course of shots to try to
    immunise her against the specific cat protein which causes the
    allergies.

    "The protein is found in the cat's dander, in the cat's
    saliva and urine, and so, as cats groom themselves frequently,
    the protein gets spread from the saliva to the cat's hair and
    - as people either handle the cat, or they inhale cat hair
    through exposure in the home - the protein contacts the
    patients through their mouth and their airways and reactions
    can then occur," said her father, Doctor Michael Marcus,
    Director of Allergy and Immunology at Maimonides Medical
    Centre in New York.

    Doctor Marcus, who sees patients allergic to cats every
    week says he would happily advise patients to get a
    genetically altered cat, if the experiment turns out to be
    successful.

    "If we're able to alter the protein so it doesn't affect
    the cat in a bad way, and yet it does decrease our allergy
    reaction, then it's an option and I think it would be a
    wonderful one for cat lovers".

    Researchers say that allergen-free cats should be
    available to the general public within two years.

    (lh/mr)

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