Connexin-dependent transcellular transcriptomic networks in mouse brain

ABSTRACT: Microarray experiments have generally focused on magnitude of gene expression changes in pathological conditions, thereby using the method as a high throughput screen to identify candidate marker genes and/or to validate phenotypic differences. We have used novel strategies to extract additional information from array studies, including expression variability and coordination, from which organizational principles of transcriptomes are emerging. We have reported that expression level, variability and coordination of numerous genes are regulated in brains of Gja1-/- mice with respect to wildtypes. Moreover, expression coordination with Gja1 in wildtypes largely predicted expression regulation in Gja1-/- tissues. We now report a remarkable overlap between regulations in Gja1-/- and Gjb1-/- brains, and that both differ markedly from those in Gja9-/- brain. Since in brain these three connexins are expressed in different cell types (Gja1 in astrocytes, and ependymal and vascular cells, Gjb1 in oligodendrocytes, and Gja9 in neurons and microglia), and because astrocytes and oligodendrocytes may form syncytia coupled by gap junction channels, these observations suggest the existence of distinct connexin-dependent panglial and neuronal transcriptomic networks. Such networks, where linkage partners are rearranged and strengths modified in brains of knockouts, may explain downstream and parallel 'ripples' of phenotypic change resulting from single gene alterations as the composition and interactions of transcription factor networks in the wildtype brain were identified and found to be altered disruption of Gja1 or Gjb1. The transcription factors also formed network hubs with genes from other functional categories, thus allowing regulation of one functional pathway through manipulation of another. Keywords: genetic modification

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE6355 | GEO | 2006/11/25

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA99561

REPOSITORIES: GEO