title: Effect of the tumor promoter phenobarbital on the pattern of global gene expression in liver of connexin32-wild-type and connexin32-deficient mice.
abstract: The antiepileptic drug phenobarbital (PB) is used frequently as a model tumor promoter in rodent liver. It is believed to increase the probability of cancer by accelerating the clonal expansion of cells transformed during tumor initiation. The molecular mechanism underlying this process is only partly understood but seems to require the function of connexin32 (Cx32), one of the 2 gap junction proteins expressed in hepatocytes. PB mediates transcriptional activation of various genes in liver but which of these are relevant for tumor promotion is unknown. We have used oligonucleotide microarrays to identify genes differentially modulated in expression by PB in liver of Cx32-wild-type and Cx32-null mice. Mice of both strains were kept on PB containing (0.05%) or control diet for 2 weeks. Total liver RNA was isolated from 3 mice per experimental group and reverse transcribed; cDNAs were hybridized to oligonucleotide microarrays and a gene-by-gene linear model was used for statistical analysis of data. Five genes were identified as induced or repressed in untreated Cx32-null as compared to untreated Cx32-wild-type mice. PB affected the expression of 53 genes, of which 13 code for members of Phase-I/II of drug metabolism, and 12 genes were differentially affected in expression by PB in Cx32-null as compared to Cx32-wild-type mice. Among the differentially affected genes that could be verified by quantitative RT-PCR or Western analysis were the insulin like growth factor binding protein-1, retinol dehydrogenase-6 and the Y-chromosomally located gene Dby, among which may be a candidate of relevance for PB-mediated tumor promotion.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Abteilung Toxikologie, Universität Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ittrich
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marx-Stoelting
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Köhle
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buchmann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D017630:Connexins; D010634:Phenobarbital; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein