OBJECTIVEWe examined alterations in the expression of tumorigenesis-related genes in the pituitary gland of rats exposed to electromagnetic pulses (EMP).

METHODSThe global gene expression profiles of the pituitary gland in EMP-exposed and control groups were detected by cDNA microarray analysis. We then validated and further investigated the reduced expression of two tumorigenesis-related genes, Pten, and Jund, by assessing their mRNA and protein expression by quantitative real-time-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry in the pituitary gland of rats 6 months after exposure to EMP.

RESULTSEMP exposure induced genome-wide gene expression changes in the rat pituitary gland. There was decreased expression of the Pten and Jund mRNAs and proteins in EMP-exposed rats compared with in unexposed control animals.

CONCLUSIONEMP exposure alters the expression of tumorigenesis-related genes in the pituitary gland. These tumorigenesis-related genes are potentially involved in the development of pituitary gland tumors in rats.

Adenoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Down-Regulation ; Electromagnetic Phenomena ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pituitary Gland ; metabolism ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction