Project description:Goal of the experiment: To examine the effects of estrogen and testosterone on gene expression in the rat mesenteric arteries. Brief description of the experiment: A dramatic difference exists in the timing of development of cardiovascular disease in men vs. women. The primary candidates underlying the cause of gender differences in cardiovascular disease are the sex steroids, estrogen and testosterone. The effect of estrogen on the cardiovascular system has been expected to be protective but this concept has become controversial. The effect of testosterone on the cardiovascular system is considered to be deleterious. In spite of these concepts there is little data on the direct effects of estrogen and testosterone on gene expression in the vasculature. Since estrogen and testosterone exert many of their effects through genomic mechanisms, the DNA microarray is an excellent tool for assessing their effects in the vasculature. In this study, ovariectomized Sprague Dawley rats were treated for 4 days with vehicle (sesame oil), estradiol benzoate (0.15 mg/kg/day), or testosterone (1 mg/kg/day). The mesenteric arteries were obtained, total RNA was extracted, and CodeLink Uniset Rat I DNA microarrays (GE) were used to identify differential gene expression. Seven genes were identified as differentially expressed from the DNA microarray data and confirmed by real time RT-PCR. The expression of D site albumin promoter binding protein and fatty acid synthase were increased in response to both estrogen and testosterone. 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, interleukin 4 receptor, JunB and c-Fos expression were increased by estrogen but not by testosterone. The aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator-like was reduced by testosterone. These data identify genes not previously known to be responsive to estrogen and testosterone in the vasculature. Keywords: hormone treatment, vasculature, gender differences Experimental factors: hormone treatment Keywords: hormone treatment
Project description:Analysis of hormone effects on irradiated LBNF1 rat testes, which contain only somatic cells except for a few type A spermatgogonia. Rats were treated for 2 weeks with either sham treatment (group X), hormonal ablation (GnRH antagonist and the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide, group XAF), testosterone supplementation (GnRH antagonist and testosterone, group XAT), and FSH supplementation ((GnRH antagonist, androgen receptor antagonist, and FSH, group XAFF). Results provide insight into identifying genes in the somatic testis cells regulated by testosterone, LH, or FSH.
Project description:This study used Deep RNA sequencing to define gene expression in the small resistance arteries and compare to a reference conduit artery, the aorta Methods: Deep RNA Sequencing (~90 million reads) was performed on 2 samples of adult SD rat mesenteric arteries and compared to that of 2 samples of aorta. Results: ~900 genes were identified that were expressed at least 2-fold difference between meseteric artery and aorta mRNA profiles of 2 samples of rat mesenteric artery and 2 samples of rat aorta were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq