Project description:Large-scale transcriptional profiling has enormous potential for discovery of osteoporosis susceptibility genes and for identification of the molecular mechanisms by which these genes and associated pathways regulate bone maintenance and turnover. A potential challenge in the use of this method for the discovery of osteoporosis genes is the difficulty of obtaining bone tissue samples from large numbers of individuals. In this study, we tested the applicability of using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived transcriptional profiles as a surrogate to cortical bone transcriptional profiles to address questions of skeletal genetics. We used a well-established and genetically well-characterized nonhuman primate model for human bone maintenance and turnover. We determined that a high degree of overlap exists in gene expression of cortical bone and PBMCs and that genes in both the osteoporosis-associated RANK Osteoclast and Estrogen Receptor Signaling pathways are highly expressed in PBMCs. Genes within the Wnt Signaling pathway, also implicated in osteoporosis pathobiology, are expressed in PBMCs, albeit to a lesser extent. These results are the first in an effort to comprehensively characterize the relationship between the PBMC transcriptome and bone M-bM-^@M-^S knowledge that is essential for maximizing the use of PBMCs to identify genes and signaling pathways relevant to osteoporosis pathogenesis. It is also a first step in identifying genes that correlate in a predictable manner between PBMCs and cortical bone from healthy and osteoporotic individuals, potentially allowing us to identify genes that could be used to diagnose osteoporosis prior to detectible bone loss and with easily obtained PBMCs. Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cortical bone of a nonhuman primate model (Papio hamadryas ssp.) of bone maintenance and turnover. Both samples were taken from the same animal. Tissue from 15 animals was used for the study.
Project description:Large-scale transcriptional profiling has enormous potential for discovery of osteoporosis susceptibility genes and for identification of the molecular mechanisms by which these genes and associated pathways regulate bone maintenance and turnover. A potential challenge in the use of this method for the discovery of osteoporosis genes is the difficulty of obtaining bone tissue samples from large numbers of individuals. In this study, we tested the applicability of using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-derived transcriptional profiles as a surrogate to cortical bone transcriptional profiles to address questions of skeletal genetics. We used a well-established and genetically well-characterized nonhuman primate model for human bone maintenance and turnover. We determined that a high degree of overlap exists in gene expression of cortical bone and PBMCs and that genes in both the osteoporosis-associated RANK Osteoclast and Estrogen Receptor Signaling pathways are highly expressed in PBMCs. Genes within the Wnt Signaling pathway, also implicated in osteoporosis pathobiology, are expressed in PBMCs, albeit to a lesser extent. These results are the first in an effort to comprehensively characterize the relationship between the PBMC transcriptome and bone – knowledge that is essential for maximizing the use of PBMCs to identify genes and signaling pathways relevant to osteoporosis pathogenesis. It is also a first step in identifying genes that correlate in a predictable manner between PBMCs and cortical bone from healthy and osteoporotic individuals, potentially allowing us to identify genes that could be used to diagnose osteoporosis prior to detectible bone loss and with easily obtained PBMCs.
Project description:Effects of Intrauterine Growth Restriction on Ribosomal Subunit mRNA and Protein Expression in the Frontal Cortex of Near-Term Fetal Baboons