Project description:Background The vitamin A derivative, retinoic acid (RA), is a potent teratogenic agent that induces a variety of congenital abnormalities including neural tube defects. The embryopathology of RA has been extensively investigated and retinol receptors play important roles during organogenesis, development and neural tube closure. Still, the mechanisms by which RA influences these processes are not completely understood. Methods We used a custom-made mouse genome 32K oligonucleotide microarray to determine the gene expression profiles of mouse embryo spinal cord samples that had been exposed to vehicle or RA. Then, we performed a GSEA (gene set enrichment analysis) on the gene expression data by searching MSigDB (v2.5) c2 gene sets (canonical pathways) and c5 gene sets (curated GO terms), with set size restraints on the range to avoid over-narrow or over-broad categories. Results Using microarray technology, the present study identifies 85 genes in the spinal cord that exhibit at least a 1.5-fold change between control samples and samples with spina bifida aperta. A gene set enrichment analysis showed that maternal exposure to RA induced spinal bifida that were associated with altered expression of genes involved in pro- or anti-apoptosis, cell proliferation, migration, cytoskeleton components, and cell or focal adhesion, indicating that defective functions of these cell components and biological processes preceded the abnormal development of neural tube. Conclusions Maternal exposure to RA induced spinal bifida that were associated with altered expression of genes involved in pro- or anti-apoptosis, cell proliferation, migration, cytoskeleton components, and cell or focal adhesion. As shown in previous reports, defective functions of these cell components and biological processes preceded the abnormal development of the neural tube. Our study will help the understanding of the etiology and pathology of spinal bifida. However, it should be noted that the changes in gene expression induced by RA exposure may not be an effect on events other than neural tube closure; further study is required to fully understand the molecular mechanisms and consequence of neural tube defects in embryos exposed to RA. Our study provides a global analysis of gene expression patterns in spina bifida and will help the understanding of the etiology and pathology of neural tube defects. We assessed the changes in gene expression that coincide with spina bifida in RA-treated mouse fetuses. After generating an independent list of regulated genes, we analyzed samples by gene set enrichment analysis to expand our results. A pool of spinal cord tissue from spina bifida fetuses whose mothers were exposed to RA was compared to a pool of spinal cord tissue from fetuses whose mothers were exposed to olive oil vehicle. Three replicates each.
Project description:LC-MSMS (Label free) was performed to find differential proteins in maternal rat serum exosome between 3 normal pregnant rats and 3 pregnant rats carrying fetuses with spina bifida aperta induced by all-trans retinoic acid (Sigma; 4% [wt/vol] in olive oil; 140 mg/kg body weight by gavage) at pregnant day E18 (vaginal smear found sperm after mating as E0).
Project description:Background The vitamin A derivative, retinoic acid (RA), is a potent teratogenic agent that induces a variety of congenital abnormalities including neural tube defects. The embryopathology of RA has been extensively investigated and retinol receptors play important roles during organogenesis, development and neural tube closure. Still, the mechanisms by which RA influences these processes are not completely understood. Methods We used a custom-made mouse genome 32K oligonucleotide microarray to determine the gene expression profiles of mouse embryo spinal cord samples that had been exposed to vehicle or RA. Then, we performed a GSEA (gene set enrichment analysis) on the gene expression data by searching MSigDB (v2.5) c2 gene sets (canonical pathways) and c5 gene sets (curated GO terms), with set size restraints on the range to avoid over-narrow or over-broad categories. Results Using microarray technology, the present study identifies 85 genes in the spinal cord that exhibit at least a 1.5-fold change between control samples and samples with spina bifida aperta. A gene set enrichment analysis showed that maternal exposure to RA induced spinal bifida that were associated with altered expression of genes involved in pro- or anti-apoptosis, cell proliferation, migration, cytoskeleton components, and cell or focal adhesion, indicating that defective functions of these cell components and biological processes preceded the abnormal development of neural tube. Conclusions Maternal exposure to RA induced spinal bifida that were associated with altered expression of genes involved in pro- or anti-apoptosis, cell proliferation, migration, cytoskeleton components, and cell or focal adhesion. As shown in previous reports, defective functions of these cell components and biological processes preceded the abnormal development of the neural tube. Our study will help the understanding of the etiology and pathology of spinal bifida. However, it should be noted that the changes in gene expression induced by RA exposure may not be an effect on events other than neural tube closure; further study is required to fully understand the molecular mechanisms and consequence of neural tube defects in embryos exposed to RA. Our study provides a global analysis of gene expression patterns in spina bifida and will help the understanding of the etiology and pathology of neural tube defects.
Project description:We created mice, which are deficient for Myc specifically in cardiac myocytes by crossing crossed Myc-floxed mice (Mycfl/fl) and MLC-2VCre/+ mice. Serial analysis of earlier stages of gestation revealed that Myc-deficient mice died prematurely at E13.5-14.5. Morphological analyses of E13.5 Myc-null embryos showed normal ventricular size and structure; however, decreased cardiac myocyte proliferation and increased apoptosis was observed. BrdU incorporation rates were also decreased significantly in Myc-null myocardium. Myc-null mice displayed a 3.67-fold increase in apoptotic cardiomyocytes by TUNEL assay. We examined global gene expression using oligonucleotide microarrays. Numerous genes involved in mitochondrial death pathways were dysregulated including Bnip3L and Birc2. Keywords: wildtype vs Myc-null