Generation of BasoDTR mice for the selective and inducible ablation of basophils.

(A) Construct of a transgene for BasoDTR mice. The alb promoter of the original TRECK cassette was replaced with the CD203c promoter to allow the exclusive expression of hDTR on basophils [29]. (B) Basophils were purified as IgE-positive cells from the peripheral blood of BasoDTR and WT mice by using the MACS system. RT-PCR analysis was performed to examine the specific expression of hDTR mRNA in basophils. (C) Cytospin slides of the peripheral leukocytes of BasoDTR mice were stained with antibodies against hDTR (green), IgE (red), and DAPI (nuclei, blue). Scale bar = 20 µm.