Method for activating peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of identifying nuclear receptor controlled genes in specific tissues. In particular, the method also provides a method of activating PPARγ nuclear receptor controlled target genes in vivo in a tissue-specific manner.

1 . A transgenic non-human animal, the genome of which comprises a gene that encodes a constitutively active nuclear receptor which is fused at the N-terminus to the transcriptional activation domain of the Herpes viral VP16 protein, wherein said gene encoding said nuclear receptor is linked to a promoter element which drives tissue-specific expression.  
     
     
         2 . A transgenic animal of  claim 1  wherein said nuclear receptor gene is PPARγ.  
     
     
         3 . A transgenic animal of  claim 1  wherein said promoter element drives expression specifically in uncoupling protein 1-expressing cells.  
     
     
         4 . A transgenic animal of  claim 1  wherein said promoter element is the promoter for uncoupling protein 1.