Project description:PURPOSE: To provide a detailed gene expression profile of the normal postnatal mouse cornea. METHODS: Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was performed on postnatal day (PN)9 and adult mouse (6 week) total corneas. The expression of selected genes was analyzed by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: A total of 64,272 PN9 and 62,206 adult tags were sequenced. Mouse corneal transcriptomes are composed of at least 19,544 and 18,509 unique mRNAs, respectively. One third of the unique tags were expressed at both stages, whereas a third was identified exclusively in PN9 or adult corneas. Three hundred thirty-four PN9 and 339 adult tags were enriched more than fivefold over other published nonocular libraries. Abundant transcripts were associated with metabolic functions, redox activities, and barrier integrity. Three members of the Ly-6/uPAR family whose functions are unknown in the cornea constitute more than 1% of the total mRNA. Aquaporin 5, epithelial membrane protein and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) omega-1, and GST alpha-4 mRNAs were preferentially expressed in distinct corneal epithelial layers, providing new markers for stratification. More than 200 tags were differentially expressed, of which 25 mediate transcription. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to providing a detailed profile of expressed genes in the PN9 and mature mouse cornea, the present SAGE data demonstrate dynamic changes in gene expression after eye opening and provide new probes for exploring corneal epithelial cell stratification, development, and function and for exploring the intricate relationship between programmed and environmentally induced gene expression in the cornea. Keywords: other
Project description:The developing brain is particularly sensitive to ethanol during the brain growth spurt or synaptogenesis (third human trimester equivalent). This has been shown to lead to abnormal brain development and behavioural changes in the adult mouse that are relevant to those seen in humans with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We evaluated the long-term (postnatal day 60 young adult) gene expression changes that occur in the brain due to ethanol exposure during synaptogenesis. We used microarray analyses to evaluate the changes in brain gene expression at postnatal day 60 that occur due to ethanol treatment at postnatal days 4 and 7 (synaptogenesis). To generate samples, C57BL/6J pups were injected with ethanol (experimental) or saline (control) at postnatal days 4 and 7. Pups were weaned at postnatal day 25 and sacrificed at postnatal day 60. Total RNA was extracted from whole brain tissue and RNA from three male mice from three different litters were pooled as one biological replicate. Each male ethanol-treated mouse represented in a sample was matched by a control littermate present in a control sample. This study consists of two biological replicates for each experimental group (total mice used was n=12).
Project description:The developing brain is particularly sensitive to ethanol during the brain growth spurt or synaptogenesis (third human trimester equivalent). This has been shown to lead to abnormal brain development and behavioural changes in the adult mouse that are relevant to those seen in humans with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We evaluated the long-term (postnatal day 60 young adult) gene expression changes that occur in the brain due to ethanol exposure during synaptogenesis. We used microarray analyses to evaluate the changes in brain gene expression at postnatal day 60 that occur due to ethanol treatment at postnatal days 4 and 7 (synaptogenesis).
Project description:Moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a heterogeneous range of neurobehavioural and cognitive effects, termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We have developed a mouse moder of FASD that involves moderate ethanol exposure throughout gestation achieved by voluntary maternal consumption. This model results in phenotypes relevant to FASD. Since ethanol is known to directly affect the expression of genes in the developing brain leading to abnormal cell death, changes to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, and potential changes to epigenetic patterning, we hypothesize that this leaves a long-term footprint on the adult brain. However, the long-term effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on brain gene expression, when behavioural phenotypes are apparent, are unclear. We used two independent microarray experiments and focused on the genes identified by both to evaluate the genome-wide alterations to the adult brain transcriptome caused by prenatal ethanol exposure via moderate maternal drinking. To generate samples, two independent groups of female C57BL/6J mice were given access to 10% ethanol in water or water only. Control females had access to water only. Females were mated and continued to drink from gestational day 0 to pup postnatal day 10. Whole brain RNA from adult (postnatal day 70) male ethanol-exposed offspring was extracted. For experiment 1, RNA samples from three mice were pooled to reduce litter effects and the pooled samples were hybridized on Affymetrix arrays (2 control and 2 ethanol chips, total n=12 mice). For experiment 2, RNA from two mice were pooled per chip and three arrays per treatment were used (3 control, 3 ethanol, total n=12 mice).
Project description:The developing brain is particularly sensitive to ethanol during the brain growth spurt or synaptogenesis (third human trimester equivalent). This has been shown to lead to abnormal brain development and behavioural changes in the adult mouse that are relevant to those seen in humans with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We evaluated the acute (4h post-treatment) gene expression changes that occur in the brain due to ethanol exposure during synaptogenesis (postnatal day 7). We used microarray analyses to evaluate the changes in brain gene expression at postnatal day 7 that occur due to ethanol treatment at postnatal day 7 (synaptogenesis).
Project description:The developing brain is particularly sensitive to ethanol during the brain growth spurt or synaptogenesis (third human trimester equivalent). This has been shown to lead to abnormal brain development and behavioural changes in the adult mouse that are relevant to those seen in humans with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We evaluated the acute (4h post-treatment) gene expression changes that occur in the brain due to ethanol exposure during synaptogenesis (postnatal day 7). We used microarray analyses to evaluate the changes in brain gene expression at postnatal day 7 that occur due to ethanol treatment at postnatal day 7 (synaptogenesis). To generate samples, C57BL/6J pups were injected with ethanol (experimental) or saline (control) at postnatal day 7 (2 x 2.5 g/kg at 0h and 2h). Pups were sacrificed 4 hours following the initial injection. Total RNA was extracted from whole brain tissue and RNA from three male mice from three different litters were pooled as one biological replicate. Each male ethanol-treated mouse represented in a sample was matched by a control littermate present in a control sample. This study consists of two experimental (ethanol-treated) biological replicates and four control (saline vehicle-treated) replicates (total mice used was n=18).