Project description:Introduction: Renal failure is associated with aortic valve calcification. Using our rat model of uraemia-induced reversible aortic valve calcification, we assessed the role of apoptosis and survival pathways in aortic valve calcification. We also explored the effects of raloxifene - an estrogen receptor modulator on valvular calcification. Methods: Gene array analysis was performed in aortic valves obtained from 3 groups of rats (n=7 each): calcified valves from rats fed with uremic diet -high-adenine (0.75%), high-phosphate diet (1.5%), valves after calcification resolution following diet cessation (reversibility) and control. In addition, four groups of rats (n=10 each) were used in order to evaluate the effect of raloxifene in aortic valve calcification: three groups as mentioned above and a fourth group fed with the uremic diet which also received daily raloxifene. Evaluation of these groups included imaging, histology and antigen expression analysis. Results: Gene array results showed that the majority of the expressed genes that were altered were from the diet group valves. Most apoptosis-related genes were changed in a pro-apoptotic direction in calcified valves. Apoptosis and decrease in several survival pathways were confirmed in calcified valves. Resolution of aortic valve calcification was accompanied by decreased apoptosis and upregulation of these ant-apoptotic pathways. Imaging and histology demonstrated that raloxifene significantly decreased aortic valve calcification. Conclusion: Downregulation of several survival pathways and apoptosis are involved in the pathogenesis of aortic valve calcification. The beneficial effect of raloxifene in valve calcification is related to apoptosis modulation. This novel observation is important for developing remedies for aortic valve calcification in patients with renal failure. Introduction: Renal failure is associated with aortic valve calcification. Using our rat model of uraemia-induced reversible aortic valve calcification, we assessed the role of apoptosis and survival pathways in aortic valve calcification. We also explored the effects of raloxifene - an estrogen receptor modulator on valvular calcification. Methods: Gene array analysis was performed in aortic valves obtained from 3 groups of rats (n=7 each): calcified valves from rats fed with uremic diet -high-adenine (0.75%), high-phosphate diet (1.5%), valves after calcification resolution following diet cessation (reversibility) and control. In addition, four groups of rats (n=10 each) were used in order to evaluate the effect of raloxifene in aortic valve calcification: three groups as mentioned above and a fourth group fed with the uremic diet which also received daily raloxifene. Evaluation of these groups included imaging, histology and antigen expression analysis. Results: Gene array results showed that the majority of the expressed genes that were altered were from the diet group valves. Most apoptosis-related genes were changed in a pro-apoptotic direction in calcified valves. Apoptosis and decrease in several survival pathways were confirmed in calcified valves. Resolution of aortic valve calcification was accompanied by decreased apoptosis and upregulation of these ant-apoptotic pathways. Imaging and histology demonstrated that raloxifene significantly decreased aortic valve calcification. Conclusion: Downregulation of several survival pathways and apoptosis are involved in the pathogenesis of aortic valve calcification. The beneficial effect of raloxifene in valve calcification is related to apoptosis modulation. This novel observation is important for developing remedies for aortic valve calcification in patients with renal failure.
Project description:Pomegranate skin extract could prevent fatty liver due to high fat diet in adult male Sprague Dawley rat. There are 3 groups of rats, feeding chow diet, high fat diet and high fat diet combined with pomegrante skin extract. After 8 weeks feeding, high fat diet group developped fatty liver but the other two groups still have healthy liver. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying the fatty liver development and preventive effect of pomegranate skin extract on fatty liver.
Project description:Pomegranate skin extract could prevent fatty liver due to high fat diet in adult male Sprague Dawley rat. There are 3 groups of rats, feeding chow diet, high fat diet and high fat diet combined with pomegrante skin extract. After 8 weeks feeding, high fat diet group developped fatty liver but the other two groups still have healthy liver. We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying the fatty liver development and preventive effect of pomegranate skin extract on fatty liver. There are 3 treatment groups and 6 replicates for each group. The 3 treatment groups are control group feeding chow diet, high fat group feeding high fat diet and PE group feeding high fat diet and pomegranate skin extract. Rat livers were collecteded for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.
Project description:The overlap of congenic regions in an earlier substitution mapping study suggested the location of two blood pressure quantitative trait loci (QTL)-containing regions in the q-terminus of rat chromosome 3, QTL1 and the more distal, QTL2. Male SS/jr rats and two congenic substrain rats S.R(D3Mco36-D3Mco46) and S.R(D3Mco36-D3Got166) were maintained on a low salt (0.4% NaCl Harlan Teklad diet TD7034) diet until 39-41 days of age. These 3 rat strains will be hereafter referred to as S, S.R(ET3x1), and S.R(ET3x2), respectively. At 39-41 days of age, half of the rats from each strain were fed a high (4% NaCl Harlan Teklad diet TD83033) salt diet and water ad libitum for 24 hours. Both congenic substrains carry SR/jr (R)-rat alleles for QTL2 on an S-rat genetic background, while S.R(ET3x2) also carries R-rat alleles for QTL1. Renal gene expression analysis was used to identify differentially expressed genes or genes with altered activity within the S.R(ET3x2) congenic region. Keywords: strain differences in response to dietary changes
Project description:The effect of cafeteria (CAF) diet in PBMC gene expression was analyzed in two inbred rat strains the Wistar Kyoto(WKY) and Lewis (LEW) rat PBMCs were isolated following a CAF or standard diet and subjected to whole genome expression analysis
Project description:The overlap of congenic regions in an earlier substitution mapping study suggested the location of two blood pressure quantitative trait loci (QTL)-containing regions in the q-terminus of rat chromosome 3, QTL1 and the more distal, QTL2. Male SS/jr rats and two congenic substrain rats S.R(D3Mco36-D3Mco46) and S.R(D3Mco36-D3Got166) were maintained on a low salt (0.4% NaCl Harlan Teklad diet TD7034) diet until 39-41 days of age and then fed an intermediate (2% NaCl Harlan Teklad diet TD94217) salt diet for 28 days. These 3 rat strains will be hereafter referred to as S, S.R(ET3x1), and S.R(ET3x2), respectively. Both congenic substrains carry SR/jr (R)-rat alleles for QTL2 on an S-rat genetic background, while S.R(ET3x2) also carries R-rat alleles for QTL1. Renal gene expression analysis was used to identify differentially expressed genes or genes with altered activity within the S.R(ET3x2) congenic region. Keywords: strain differences in response to dietary changes
Project description:We report results from renal cortical transcriptomic analysis of responses to diet-induced weight loss plus medical therapy in the Zucker Diabetic Sprague Dawley (ZDSD) rat model of diabetic kidney disease.
Project description:Purpose: Obesity and dyslipidemia are associated with increased risk of renal disease.Testosterone deficiency aggravated high-fat diet-induced obesity and hypercholeterolemia. However,whether testosterone deficiency or testosterone deficiency-induced dyslipidemia aggravate the progression of renal disease is not clear. To gain insight into the role of testosterone in modulating renal lipid metabolism, we profiled renal gene expression by RNA-Seq in HFC-fed intact male pigs (IM), castrated male pigs (CM), and castrated male pigs with testosterone replacement (CMT). Methods: Sexually mature male miniature pigs were either surgical castrated or sham-operated, and castrated with testosterone replacement. We administrated to pigs a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFC) diet for twelve weeks. RNA-Seq was employed to profile renal gene expression in pigs with different testosterone levels. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that testosterone deficiency aggravated renal lipid accumulation in pigs fed an HFC diet and that these effects could be reversed by testosterone replacement therapy. Impaired metabolic processes, bile acid secretion,estrogen signaling pathway and enhanced triglyceride synthesis may contribute to the increased renal lipid accumulation induced by testosterone deficiency and an HFC diet.