OBJECTIVETo identify genes expressed in the fetal heart that are potentially important for myocardial development and cardiomyocyte proliferation.

METHODSmRNAs from fetal (29 weeks) and adult cardiomyocytes were use for suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Both forward (fetal as tester) and reverse (adult as driver) subtractions were performed. Clones confirmed by dot-blot analysis to be differentially expressed were sequenced and analyzed.

RESULTSDifferential expressions were detected for 39 out of 96 (41%) clones on forward subtraction and 24 out of 80 (30%) clones on reverse. For fetal dominating genes, 28 clones matched to 10 known genes (COL1A2, COL3A1, endomucin, HBG1, HBG2, PCBP2, LOC51144, TGFBI, vinculin and PND), 9 clones to 5 cDNAs of unknown functions (accession AK021715, AF085867, AB040948, AB051460 and AB051512) and 2 clones had homology to hEST sequences. For the reverse subtraction, all clones showed homology to mitochondrial transcripts.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully applied SSH to detect those genes differentially expressed in fetal cardiac myocytes, some of which have not been shown relative to myocardial development.

Aged ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen Type III ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; Gene Expression ; physiology ; Heart ; embryology ; growth & development ; Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; RNA-Binding Proteins ; Transcription Factors ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Vinculin ; genetics