Nutrient-gene interactions: a single nutrient and hundreds of target genes.
Based on the effects of a selective experimental zinc deficiency in a rodent model we explore the use of transcriptome profiling for assessing nutrient-gene interactions in the liver at the molecular and cellular levels. Zinc deficiency caused pleiotropic alterations in mRNA/protein levels of hundreds of genes. In the context of observed metabolic alterations in hepatic metabolism, possible mechanisms are discussed for how a low zinc status may be sensed and transmitted into changes in various metabolic pathways. However, it also becomes obvious that analysis of such complex nutrient-gene interactions beyond the descriptional level is a real challenge for systems biology.
Daniel
Hannelore
H
Molecular Nutrition Unit, Technical University of Munich, Life and Food Science Center, Hochfeldweg 2, D-85350 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany. daniel@wzw.tum.de
tom Dieck
Heike
H
D000818:Animals; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005947:Glucose; D015032:Zinc