CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of CD47 causes hemolytic anemia with splenomegaly in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract

CD47 (integrin-associated protein), a multi-spanning transmembrane protein expressed in all cells including red blood cells (RBCs) and leukocytes, interacts with signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) on macrophages and thereby inhibits phagocytosis of RBCs. Recently, we generated a novel C57BL/6J CD47 knockout (CD47^-/- hereafter) mouse line by employing a CRISPR/Cas9 system at Center for Mouse Models of Human Disease, and here report their hematological phenotypes. On monitoring their birth and development, CD47^-/- mice were born viable with a natural male-to-female sex ratio and normally developed from birth through puberty to adulthood without noticeable changes in growth, food/water intake compared to their age and sex-matched wild-type littermates up to 26 weeks. Hematological analysis revealed a mild but significant reduction of RBC counts and hemoglobin in 16 week-old male CD47^-/- mice which were aggravated at the age of 26 weeks with increased reticulocyte counts and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), suggesting hemolytic anemia. Interestingly, anemia in female CD47^-/- mice became evident at 26 weeks, but splenomegaly was identified in both genders of CD47^-/- mice from the age of 16 weeks, consistent with development of hemolytic anemia. Additionally, helper and cytotoxic T cell populations were considerably reduced in the spleen, but not in thymus, of CD47^-/- mice, suggesting a crucial role of CD47 in proliferation of T cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that our CD47^-/- mice have progressive hemolytic anemia and splenic depletion of mature T cell populations and therefore may be useful as an in vivo model to study the function of CD47.