Poster #037
Generating an In vivo p53 Knockout Model to Study Aging
Mentors: Marcos G. Teneche; Peter Adams, PhD
Aging is characterized by cellular stress, damage, and functional decline, leading to biological changes that contribute to health impairment and disease vulnerability. p53, a tumor-suppressor gene, is also known for its role in the aging process and senescence. As a way to study p53’s impact on aging, we validated a transgenic mouse model that can induce the knockout of a gene of interest. We used LoxP-Stop-LoxP Cas9:P2AGFP mice with Cre-dependent activation, then injected an AAV-TBG-Cre vector carrying sgRNA that targets p53. Mice injected with Cre and sgRNA show GFP expression and loss of p21, a downstream regulator of p53, confirming a successful knockout. Using this model, we are able to compare the effects of p53 loss in both young and old mice to study its role in liver function. This model allows for a targeted study of p53’s contribution to aging.