Serotonin transporter, sex, and hypoxia: microarray analysis in the pulmonary arteries of mice identifies genes with relevance to human PAH.

ABSTRACT: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is up to threefold more prevalent in women than men. Female mice overexpressing the serotonin transporter (SERT; SERT+ mice) exhibit PAH and exaggerated hypoxia-induced PAH, whereas male SERT+ mice remain unaffected. To further investigate these sex differences, microarray analysis was performed in the pulmonary arteries of normoxic and chronically hypoxic female and male SERT+ mice. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis was employed for validation of the microarray data. In relevant groups, immunoblotting was performed for genes of interest (CEBPβ, CYP1B1, and FOS). To translate clinical relevance to our findings, CEBPβ, CYP1B1, and FOS mRNA and protein expression was assessed in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) derived from idiopathic PAH (IPAH)

SUBMITTER: White K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3092337 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature