Autism is a neurological disease with high public concern in recent years. Methyl-CpG binding protein 2(MeCP2) plays an important role in autism for its importance in transcriptional regulation and microRNA processing. Mutations in MeCP2 gene are found in most of patients with Rett syndrome, duplications of MeCP2-containing genomic segments cause the MeCP2 duplication syndrome, which shares core symptoms with autism spectrum disorders. Although MeCP2 transgenic mice has already been reconstructed, it is still difficult to identify autism-like behaviours in the mouse model of MeCP2 overexpression. In this article we report the lentivirus-based transgenic cynomolgus monkeys expressing human MeCP2 in the brain. Genomic integration sites of the transgenes are characterized by a deepsequencing-based method and expression of the MeCP2 transgene is confirmed by Western blotting. This type of transgenic monkeys exhibits autism-like behaviours in action, social and emotional aspects and shows germline transmission of the transgene. These results indicate the feasibility and reliability of using genetically engineered non-human primates to study brain disorders.

autism  /  MeCP2 transgenic  /  abnormal social behavior  /  germline transmission