Microarray Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes in the Brains of Tubby Mice.
10.4196/kjpp.2009.13.2.91
- Author:
Jeong Ho LEE
1
;
Chul Hoon KIM
;
Dong Goo KIM
;
Young Soo AHN
Author Information
1. Department of Pharmacology, Brain Research Institute, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Korea. ahnys@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Tubby;
Microarray;
Gene expression;
Cerebral cortex;
Hypothalamus
- MeSH:
Activins;
Animals;
Brain;
Caspase 1;
Central Nervous System;
Cerebral Cortex;
Gene Expression;
GTP-Binding Proteins;
Humans;
Hypothalamus;
Mice;
Microarray Analysis;
Negotiating;
Obesity;
p21-Activated Kinases;
Phenotype;
Receptor, Cholecystokinin B;
Retinaldehyde;
Transcription Factors
- From:The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
2009;13(2):91-97
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The tubby mouse is characterized by progressive retinal and cochlear degeneration and late-onset obesity. These phenotypes are caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the tub gene and are shared with several human syndromes, suggesting the importance of tubby protein in central nervous system (CNS) functioning. Although evidence suggests that tubby may act as a transcription factor mediating G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, any downstream gene regulated by tubby has yet to be identified. To explore potential target genes of tubby with region-specific transcription patterns in the brain, we performed a microarray analysis using the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus of tubby mice. We also validated the changes of gene expression level observed with the microarray analysis using real-time RT-PCR. We found that expression of erythroid differentiation factor 1 (Erdr1) and caspase 1 (Casp1) increased, while p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) and cholecystokinin 2 receptor (Cck2r) expression decreased in the cerebral cortex of tubby mice. In the hypothalamic region, Casp 1 was up-regulated and micro-crystallin (CRYM) was down-regulated. Based on the reported functions of the differentially expressed genes, these individual or grouped genes may account for the phenotype of tubby mice. We discussed how altered expression of genes in tubby mice might be understood as the underlying mechanism behind tubby phenotypes.
