Changes In Spatial Expression Research Articles

DNA microarray analysis of gene expression in iris and ciliary body of rat eyes with endotoxin-induced uveitis

The purposes of this study are to determine the genes that are up- or down-regulated in eyes with endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) by an oligonucleotide microarray system, and to determine the temporal and spatial changes in expression of selected genes that show strong up-regulation. EIU was induced by a footpad injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male Lewis rats. The expression of genes in the iris–ciliary body (ICB) at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hr after LPS injection was determined by oligonucleotide microarray analyses and compared to that in control rats. The microarray displayed 9911 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Cluster analysis was performed for highly up-regulated genes. Selected genes for cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-6), chemokines (RANTES), and immediate early genes (Jun B, c-Fos, and c-Jun) were also studied by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Immunohistochemical studies were performed to localize the protein expression of some immediate early gene products. After LPS injection, the expression of 1930 genes were increased or decreased over 2-folds compared with normal controls by 24 hr. One hundred and seventeen genes were up-regulated over 10-fold, and these were classified into five clusters with similar expression pattern. The immediate early genes and transcription factors genes were included in one cluster of up-regulated genes peaking at 2 hr after the LPS injection. The expressions of cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules were highly up-regulated. Real-time PCR analyses for selected genes showed similar expression changes as detected by the microarray analyses. Jun B immunoreactivity was found in the ICB cells at 3 and 6 hr after LPS injection. Gene expression changes after LPS injection were profiled by using an oligonucleotide microarray system. Our data suggest that the immediate early genes, such as Jun B, play an important role in inducing the inflammatory-related genes in the ICB.

Differential temporal and spatial expression of immediate early genes in retinal neurons after ischemia-reperfusion injury.

To investigate genes that are up- and downregulated in rat retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury systematically by using an oligonucleotide microarray system and to determine temporal and spatial expression changes of some genes that showed upregulation in the analysis. Retinal ischemia was induced in rats by increasing intraocular pressure to 110 mm Hg for 1 hour. Gene expression at 12 hours after reperfusion was compared with that in the control retina by using oligonucleotide microarrays that display a total of 8800 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Temporal and spatial expression changes of immediate early genes and cell-cycle-related genes were studied by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemical methods. At 12 hours after reperfusion, 135 genes and ESTs were found to be up- or downregulated. The upregulated genes were classified into seven groups: (1) immediate early genes; (2) cell-cycle-related genes; (3) stress-responsive protein genes; (4) cell-signaling protein genes; (5) cell-adhesion and cell surface protein genes; (6) genes for translation and protein turnover; and (7) genes for metabolism. Real-time PCR analyses showed peaks of Fra-1 expression at 6 hours after reperfusion, whereas those for c-Jun, Jun B, and cyclin D1 were at 24 hours. Fra-1 and Jun B immunoreactivities were found in Müller cells, whereas c-Jun and cyclin D1 immunoreactivities were found in apoptotic retinal neurons. Gene expression changes after a retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury were profiled by using an oligonucleotide microarray system. Seven groups of genes were found to be upregulated by the injury. Among the immediate early genes, Fra-1 and Jun B immunoreactivities were found in Müller cells whereas c-Jun and cyclin D1 immunoreactivities were found in apoptotic retinal neurons.

Temporal and spatial alterations in uterine estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor gene expression during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in the ewe.

Mechanisms regulating responses of the ovine uterus to endocrine and paracrine signals during the estrous cycle and pregnancy are likely to require tissue- and cell-specific regulation of steroid hormone receptor gene expression. To determine effects of day and pregnancy status (cyclic or pregnant) on uterine estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) gene expression, ewes were hysterectomized either on Day 1 (Day 0 = estrus/mating), 6, 11, 13, or 15 of the estrous cycle (n = 3/day) or on Day 11, 13, 15, 17, or 25 of early pregnancy (n = 5/day). Steady state levels of ER and PR mRNA were determined in endometrial and myometrial tissues by slot-blot hybridization and ribonuclease protection assays, respectively, using homologous ovine ER and PR cRNA probes. Changes in spatial expression of ER and PR mRNA and protein in uterine tissue sections were determined by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical analyses. In cyclic ewes, steady state levels of endometrial ER mRNA were highest on Day 1, declined between Days 1 and 6, and increased between Days 11 and 15. However in pregnant ewes, endometrial ER mRNA levels decreased between Days 11 and 15 and increased slightly between Days 15 and 25. In cyclic ewes, levels of myometrial ER mRNA were highest on Day 1, decreased to Day 6, and remained low thereafter. In cyclic ewes, endometrial PR mRNA levels were highest on Day 1, decreased between Days 1 and 11, and then increased between Days 13 and 15. In cyclic ewes, myometrial PR mRNA levels were highest on Day 1 and declined thereafter. Endometrial PR mRNA levels were not different between cyclic and pregnant ewes on Days 11, 13, and 15. In pregnant ewes, PR mRNA levels were low on Day 11, increased between Days 11 and 17, and decreased between Days 17 and 25. In pregnant ewes, myometrial PR mRNA levels were low and did not change between Days 11 and 25. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemical analyses revealed distinct tissue- and cell type-specific alterations in uterine ER and PR mRNA and protein expression during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy that generally paralleled overall changes in steady state levels of ER and PR mRNAs. In the endometrium, the most striking observation was that PR mRNA and protein expression disappeared from the luminal and shallow glandular epithelium between Days 6 and 13 of the estrous cycle, whereas ER mRNA and protein expression was low on Days 6 and 11 and increased between Days 11 and 15 in the luminal and shallow glandular epithelium. During early pregnancy, expression of ER and PR mRNAs, as well as ER and PR protein, was very low or absent in the luminal and shallow glandular epithelium between Days 13 and 25 of pregnancy. Moreover, ER and PR mRNA and protein were consistently present at low levels in the stroma and deep glandular epithelium in both cyclic (Days 11-15) and pregnant (Days 11-25) ewes. Collectively, results suggest that uterine ER and PR gene expression is regulated in a tissue- and cell type-specific manner during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy.

Reciprocal Changes in Hox D13 and RAR-β2 Expression in Response to Retinoic Acid in Chick Limb Buds

The finding that retinoic acid (RA) has major effects on pattern formation in developing chick limbs has led to the conclusion that RA plays a central role in the normal development of the limb. In addition, it has been demonstrated that treatment with exogenous RA leads to changes in expression of homeobox-containing Hox complex genes within the developing limb. This has been used to argue that, since RA activates 5′ Hox D complex genes in the same temporal and spatial sequence as in normal development, Hox genes might be regulated by RA during normal limb development. In this study, we further examine the temporal and spatial changes in expression of Hox D13 and RAR-β2 transcripts in wing buds in response to local application of RA in vivo. We confirm reports that RAR-β2 expression is induced early and locally by RA. However, we find that the effect of RA on Hox D13 gene expression at the distal end of wing buds at stage 25/26 is downregulation of transcript expression. Furthermore, we find that activation of ectopic Hox D13 expression in response to implantation of RA beads along the anterior margin at stage 20/21 is indirect. Finally, the effects of RA exposure on Hox D13 expression appear to directly correlate with effects on the pattern of distal skeletal elements.

Cellular expression of bone‐related proteins during in vitro osteogenesis in rat bone marrow stromal cell cultures

Rat bone marrow stromal cells comprise a heterogeneous mixture of cell lineages including osteoblastic cells. When grown in the presence of ascorbic acid, beta-glycerophosphate and 10(-8) M dexamethasone, osteoprogenitor cells within the population divide and differentiate to form bone nodules (Maniatopoulos et al., 1988, Cell Tissue Res., 254:317-330; Aubin et al., 1990, J. Bone Miner. Res., 5:S81) providing a useful model to investigate temporal and spatial changes in expression of osteoblastic markers. Immunocytochemistry was combined with Northern blotting, enzymatic assay, and radioimmunoassay to analyze the expression of bone-related proteins during the growth and differentiation sequence. By mRNA levels, protein production and/or enzymatic activity, expression of osteocalcin, bone sialoprotein, and alkaline phosphatase increased concomitantly with the development of bone nodules, while osteopontin mRNA levels decreased and those of SPARC/osteonectin did not change significantly. In older cultures with mineralizing nodules, mRNA levels for alkaline phosphatase and bone sialoprotein, but not osteocalcin, declined. Immunolabeling revealed that cells in early cultures stained poorly for SPARC/osteonectin and strongly for thrombospondin. Later, SPARC/osteonectin staining increased in most cells, while thrombospondin staining could be seen in both matrix and in cells, but with marked intercellular variability in intensity. At all time points studied, osteoblasts within bone nodules stained homogeneously for thrombospondin and alkaline phosphatase, and with marked heterogeneity of intensity amongst cells for SPARC/osteonectin and osteocalcin. Labelling with RCC455.4, a monoclonal antibody raised against rat calvaria cells which intensely labels osteoblasts and osteocytes (Turksen et al., 1992, J. Histochem. Cytochem., 40:1339-1352), co-localized with osteocalcin. Alkaline phosphatase activity and the amount of osteocalcin determined by both radioimmunoassay and immunolabelling decreased in very late cultures, a time corresponding to appearance of fully mineralized nodules. These studies indicate that the bone marrow stromal cell system is a useful model to study the temporal and spatial expression of bone-related proteins during osteogenesis and formation, mineralization, and maturation of bone nodules. Further, immunolabelling at the individual cell and single bone nodule level allowed discrimination of marked variability of expression of osteoblast markers during the differentiation sequence.

Expression of Aromatase Cytochrome P-450 in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Human Ovaries: an Immunocytochemical Study*

The cellular distribution of the aromatase cytochrome P-450 enzyme in human ovaries has been investigated immunocytochemically, using an aromatase-specific monoclonal antibody. Ovaries of females ranging in age from prepubertal infant girl through to postmenopausal adulthood were obtained from immediate autopsy or after surgery. The results have revealed temporal and spatial changes in expression of aromatase at different stages of development. No immunoreactive aromatase was detected in the ovary of the 2.5 month infant. In premenopausal ovaries, aromatase was absent from the stromal compartment, but in follicles, a consistent pattern in expression of aromatase was observed, related to their size and developmental stage. Aromatase was not expressed in primordial, primary, or small secondary follicles less than 250 microns diameter. In slightly larger follicles (250-700 microns diameter) aromatase was first detected in a few thecal cells (TC). In more developed secondary through to large preovulatory follicles (greater than 1 cm) TC aromatase immunostain increased in intensity and number of positive cells, and the reaction was localized to a band of theca interna (TI) cells at the TI/theca externa interface. In granulosa cells (GC), aromatase was first detected in follicles in the initial stages of antrum formation (greater than 700 microns), and staining intensified as follicle diameter and antral cavity increased, being maximal in preovulatory follicles. GC aromatase was always found in the presence of TI immunostain. These two cell populations were separated by an unstained layer of TI cells giving the follicle walls a banded appearance. Immunostain was most intense in mural GC, was weaker in antral GC cells and was absent from the cumulus GC. Immunoreactive aromatase was also detected in functional corpora lutea (CL) but was absent from involuting CL's and corpora albicans. Our findings indicate that the immunostained cells of the CL are comprised of the former GC and possibly a subpopulation of former TI cells. In perimenopausal ovaries there was no evidence of any follicular or stromal aromatase immunostain. In postmenopausal ovaries no follicles were observed, but individual cells and clusters of cells in the stromal compartment of 3/7 specimens were found to have an aromatase immunostain reaction. In all cases, the aromatase immunostain reaction was cytoplasmic. The results provide the first direct evidence of the existence of TC aromatase, and of stromal cell aromatase in postmenopausal women.