Project description:We used microarrays to determine the effect of prenatal nicotine exposure on gene expression profiles in the striatum of adolescent rats. We found a number of immediate early genes to be differentially expressed due to food-restriction.
Project description:We used microarrays to determine the effect of prenatal nicotine exposure on gene expression profiles in the striatum of adolescent rats. We found a number of immediate early genes to be differentially expressed due to food-restriction. We compared control (n=8), nicotine exposed (n=7) and a group of animals matched to the food intake of nicotine exposed animals (n=10) to identify gene expression changes associated with prenatal nicotine exposure
Project description:Nicotine withdrawal can diversely affect brain gene expression patterns. In the brain, the dorsal striatum is a hub of nicotine dependence. Previous studies have shown that nicotine dependence leads to functional alterations in the dorsal striatum. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulates cellular functions and dysfunctions. Here, we performed small RNA sequencing from the dorsal striatum of mice at 7 days after nicotine withdrawal. Our results show that nicotine withdrawal does not notably impact miRNA expression profile in the dorsal striatum, but a few miRNAs were significantly altered in response to nicotine withdrawal. These results suggest that nicotine withdrawal has a small but significant impact on the miRNA expression profile in the mouse dorsal striatum.
Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate the involvement of the mTOR pathway in the autism spectrum disorder. Adolescent male rats, prenatally exposed to valproic acid (500 mg/kg ip on gestational day 12.5), were treated with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin (10 mg/kg, ip, two consecutive days starting at postnatal day 35). Transcriptomic analysis was performed on the ventral portion of coronal sections, containing the striatum. Behavioral experiments, the electrophysiology on striatal slices, a morphological analysis by confocal microscopy and the determination synaptic proteins expression in the nucleus accumbens were also performed.
Project description:The in utero environment is a critical determinant of the immediate and future health of the developing fetus. Two of the most commonly used drugs during pregnancy are alcohol and nicotine. While prolonged gestational exposure to alcohol or nicotine has been associated with a range of adverse outcomes in the offspring, the consequences of exposure during early gestation only are less well understood. Here, we use mouse models of relatively moderate early gestational ethanol or nicotine exposure to profile gene expression in whole male embryos at 9.5 days post coitum using an Illumina microarray.
Project description:In this study, we tested if miRNAs are altered in amygdala and ventral striatum as a consequence of prenatal ethanol exposure and/or social enrichment. miRNA samples from 72 male and female adolescent rats were analyzed by RNA-Seq analysis and Affymetrix miRNA arrays. Several miRNAs showed significant changes due to prenatal ethanol exposure or social enrichment in one or both brain regions. Some of the miRNA changes caused by ethanol were reversed by social enrichment. The top predicted gene targets of these miRNAs were mapped and subjected to pathway enrichment analysis. We also directly examined the evidence for modulation of target mRNAs in whole transcriptome microarray data from the same rats. Among the pathways most strongly affected were p53, CREB, Glutamate and GABA signaling. Together, our data suggest a number of novel epigenetic mechanisms for social enrichment to reverse the effects of ethanol exposure. A total of 48 samples were analyzed by small RNA-Sequencing using RNA purified from 2 brain regions (amygdala and ventral striatum) of postnatal day 42 Long Evans rats. 3 replicate sequencing runs were performed for each gender within 4 different treatment groups (prenatal ethanol or prenatal saline exposed; postnatal socially-enriched or non-enriched environment)
Project description:In this study, we tested if miRNAs are altered in amygdala and ventral striatum as a consequence of prenatal ethanol exposure and/or social enrichment. miRNA samples from 72 male and female adolescent rats were analyzed by RNA-Seq analysis and Affymetrix miRNA arrays. Several miRNAs showed significant changes due to prenatal ethanol exposure or social enrichment in one or both brain regions. Some of the miRNA changes caused by ethanol were reversed by social enrichment. The top predicted gene targets of these miRNAs were mapped and subjected to pathway enrichment analysis. We also directly examined the evidence for modulation of target mRNAs in whole transcriptome microarray data from the same rats. Among the pathways most strongly affected were p53, CREB, Glutamate and GABA signaling. Together, our data suggest a number of novel epigenetic mechanisms for social enrichment to reverse the effects of ethanol exposure. A total of 48 Rat ST Gene 1.0 GeneChips and 48 miRNA 2.0 GeneChips were run on RNA purified from 2 brain regions (amygdala and ventral striatum) of postnatal day 42 Long Evans rats. 3 replicate arrays were run for each gender within 4 different treatment groups (prenatal ethanol or prenatal saline exposed; postnatal socially-enriched or non-enriched environment)
Project description:Growth restriction, craniofacial dysmorphology and central nervous system defects are the main diagnostic features of fetal alcohol syndrome. Studies in humans and mice have reported that the growth restriction can be prenatal and/or postnatal, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We recently described a mouse model of moderate gestational ethanol exposure that produces measurable phenotypes in line with fetal alcohol syndrome, e.g. craniofacial changes and growth restriction in adolescent mice. Here we further characterize the growth restriction phenotype by measuring body weight at gestational day 16.5, cross-fostering from birth to weaning, and extending our observations into adulthood. Furthermore, in an attempt to unravel the molecular events contributing to the growth phenotype, we have compared gene expression patterns in the liver and kidney of non-fostered ethanol-exposed and control mice at postnatal day 28. We find that the ethanol-induced growth phenotype is not detectable prior to birth, but is present at weaning, even in mice that have been cross-fostered to unexposed dams. This suggests a postnatal growth restriction phenotype that is not due to deficient postpartum care by dams that drank ethanol, but rather a physiological result of ethanol exposure in utero. We also find that, despite some catch-up growth after five weeks of age, the effect extends into adulthood, consistent with longitudinal studies in humans. Genome-wide gene expression analysis revealed interesting ethanol-induced changes in the liver, including genes involved in the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds, iron homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Gene expression changes in the livers of offspring exposed to alcohol in utero compared to controls.
Project description:Growth restriction, craniofacial dysmorphology and central nervous system defects are the main diagnostic features of fetal alcohol syndrome. Studies in humans and mice have reported that the growth restriction can be prenatal and/or postnatal, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We recently described a mouse model of moderate gestational ethanol exposure that produces measurable phenotypes in line with fetal alcohol syndrome, e.g. craniofacial changes and growth restriction in adolescent mice. Here we further characterize the growth restriction phenotype by measuring body weight at gestational day 16.5, cross-fostering from birth to weaning, and extending our observations into adulthood. Furthermore, in an attempt to unravel the molecular events contributing to the growth phenotype, we have compared gene expression patterns in the liver and kidney of non-fostered ethanol-exposed and control mice at postnatal day 28. We find that the ethanol-induced growth phenotype is not detectable prior to birth, but is present at weaning, even in mice that have been cross-fostered to unexposed dams. This suggests a postnatal growth restriction phenotype that is not due to deficient postpartum care by dams that drank ethanol, but rather a physiological result of ethanol exposure in utero. We also find that, despite some catch-up growth after five weeks of age, the effect extends into adulthood, consistent with longitudinal studies in humans. Genome-wide gene expression analysis revealed interesting ethanol-induced changes in the liver, including genes involved in the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds, iron homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Gene expression changes in the kidneys of offspring exposed to alcohol in utero compared to controls.