Project description:Contractile and highly synthetic myofibroblasts are the key effector cells involved in excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in multiple fibrotic conditions, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In order to define the key drivers of the fibrotic response, we used laser capture microdissection to isolate RNA from myofibroblasts within fibroblastic foci and performed microarray analysis in combination with a novel eigengene approach to identify functional clusters of genes which associate with collagen gene expression.
Project description:Analysis of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) at gene expression level. The hypothesis tested in the present study was that Epigenetic mechanisms are likely to be associated with pathogenesis in IPF. To determine the DNA methylation change, and their effects on gene expression, we compared microarray data of DNA methylation and RNA expression. Results provide that among the genes whose DNA methylation status and RNA expression were both significantly altered between IPF-rapid and normal controls. Total RNA obtained from Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis samples.
