Project description:To identify gene expression changes associated with Crtc1 deficiency, we performed genome-wide transcriptome profile analyses by using mouse cDNA microarrays in the cortex of Crtc1‒/‒ and WT female mice BACKGROUND: Recent studies involve the arginine-decarboxylation product agmatine in mood regulation. Agmatine has antidepressant properties in rodent models of depression, and agmatinase (Agmat), the agmatine-degrading enzyme, is upregulated in the brain of mood disorders patients. We showed that mice lacking CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) associate neurobehavioral and molecular depressive-like endophenotypes, as well as blunted responses to classical antidepressants. METHODS: The molecular basis of the behavioral phenotype of Crtc1‒/‒ mice was further examined using microarray analysis. We characterized Agmat expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot (WB) analysis, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. The antidepressant effect of agmatine was assessed by the forced swim test (FST). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) phosphorylation were measured by WB. RESULTS: Microarray, qPCR and WB analyses revealed an upregulation of Agmat in Crtc1‒/‒ PFC and HIP, where immunofluorescence microscopy showed more Agmat-expressing cells, notably parvalbumin- and somatostatin-interneurons. Acute agmatine treatment efficiently improved depressive-like behavior of Crtc1‒/‒ mice in the FST, suggesting that exogenous agmatine has a rapid antidepressant effect through the compensation of agmatine deficit induced by upregulated Agmat. In WT mice, agmatine rapidly increased BDNF levels and eEF2 dephosphorylation, indicating that it might be a fast–acting antidepressant with NMDA receptor antagonist properties. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings support the involvement of the agmatinergic system in the depressive-like phenotype of Crtc1‒/‒ mice, and allow a better understanding of the agmatinergic system and its putative role in major depression.
Project description:We created mice, which are deficient for Myc specifically in cardiac myocytes by crossing crossed Myc-floxed mice (Mycfl/fl) and MLC-2VCre/+ mice. Serial analysis of earlier stages of gestation revealed that Myc-deficient mice died prematurely at E13.5-14.5. Morphological analyses of E13.5 Myc-null embryos showed normal ventricular size and structure; however, decreased cardiac myocyte proliferation and increased apoptosis was observed. BrdU incorporation rates were also decreased significantly in Myc-null myocardium. Myc-null mice displayed a 3.67-fold increase in apoptotic cardiomyocytes by TUNEL assay. We examined global gene expression using oligonucleotide microarrays. Numerous genes involved in mitochondrial death pathways were dysregulated including Bnip3L and Birc2. Keywords: wildtype vs Myc-null
Project description:To understand the mechanisms through which JunB regulates Tregs-mediated immune regulation, we examined the global gene expression profiles in the JunB WT and KO Tregs by performing RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis.
Project description:Introgressed variants from other species can be an important source of genetic variation because they may arise rapidly, can include multiple mutations on a single haplotype, and have often been pretested by selection in the species of origin. Although introgressed alleles are generally deleterious, several studies have reported introgression as the source of adaptive alleles-including the rodenticide-resistant variant of Vkorc1 that introgressed from Mus spretus into European populations of Mus musculus domesticus. Here, we conducted bidirectional genome scans to characterize introgressed regions into one wild population of M. spretus from Spain and three wild populations of M. m. domesticus from France, Germany, and Iran. Despite the fact that these species show considerable intrinsic postzygotic reproductive isolation, introgression was observed in all individuals, including in the M. musculus reference genome (GRCm38). Mus spretus individuals had a greater proportion of introgression compared with M. m. domesticus, and within M. m. domesticus, the proportion of introgression decreased with geographic distance from the area of sympatry. Introgression was observed on all autosomes for both species, but not on the X-chromosome in M. m. domesticus, consistent with known X-linked hybrid sterility and inviability genes that have been mapped to the M. spretus X-chromosome. Tract lengths were generally short with a few outliers of up to 2.7 Mb. Interestingly, the longest introgressed tracts were in olfactory receptor regions, and introgressed tracts were significantly enriched for olfactory receptor genes in both species, suggesting that introgression may be a source of functional novelty even between species with high barriers to gene flow.
Project description:We collected whole genome testis expression data from hybrid zone mice. We integrated GWAS mapping of testis expression traits and low testis weight to gain insight into the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility.