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ResearchIn-Press PreviewCardiologyPulmonologyVascular biology Open Access | 10.1172/jci.insight.205583

A large animal model of heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension using gene-edited BMPR2 sheep

Sanjeev A. Datar,1 Nicholas Werry,2 Austin R. Brown,2 Devon S. Fitzpatrick,2 Oluwafemi Falade,2 Josephine F. Trott,2 Rachel Hutchings,1 Elena K. Amin,1 Jessica M. Morgan,3 Hythem Nawaytou,1 Gail H. Deutsch,4 Eric G. Johnson,3 Omar A. Gonzales Viera,3 Thomas F. Bishop,2 Tara Urbano Beach,3 Bret R. McNabb,3 Eric D. Austin,5 Jeffrey R. Fineman,1 and Alison L. Van Eenennaam2

1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America

2Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

3School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, United States of America

4Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America

5School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, United States of America

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Published July 14, 2026 - More info

JCI Insight. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.205583.
Copyright © 2026, Datar et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Published July 14, 2026 - Version history
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Abstract

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a rare vascular disorder characterized by elevated pressure in pulmonary arteries, eventually leading to right ventricular failure. Approximately 50% of pediatric disease and 20% of adult disease can be linked to a genetic mutation, with nearly 70% of these cases involving mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) locus. Investigations using rodent models have made substantial advances in our understanding of BMPR2 signaling; however, limited data exist regarding the onset and course of PAH, and etiologies for phenotypic expression in these patients remain unknown. In this work, we describe the development of an ovine model of heritable PAH. Because homozygous disruption of BMPR2 is embryonic lethal, we developed heterozygous BMPR2 sheep by using a PAM-disrupting synonymous single stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotide alongside a single guide RNA and Cas9 mediated gene editing strategy. The resulting BMPR2(+/-) lambs demonstrated cardiac and pulmonary vascular pathology that are consistent with BMPR2 mutation-driven PAH observed in humans. Given the genetic and physiological similarities of BMPR2(+/-) sheep to humans with heritable PAH, this large animal model will serve as a vital platform for mechanistic molecular studies and will provide a much-needed pre-clinical model for extensive treatment evaluations.

Supplemental material

View Supplementary Movie 1: Control pulmonary angiogram

View Supplementary Movie 2: BMPR2 Het (#8) pulmonary angiogram

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View Unedited blot and gel images

Version history
  • Version 1 (July 14, 2026): In-Press Preview

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