title: Microarray analysis of endothelial differentially expressed genes in liver of cirrhotic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is a long-standing interest in the identification of endothelial-specific pathways for therapeutic targeting in cirrhosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate differences in gene expression patterns between liver endothelial cells (LECs) from control and cirrhotic rats by using microarrays.
  
  
  METHODS
  LECs were obtained by isopycnic centrifugation. LECs gene expression was then analyzed on high-density oligonucleotide microarrays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of gene expression revealed that most of the differentially expressed mRNA in cirrhosis are associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, inflammation, antioxidant/stress response, and cell signaling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The collective expression changes observed within some functional groups of genes indicate that LECs in cirrhotic livers may contribute to lymphangiogenesis, enhancement of fibrogenesis and inflammatory processes, changes in cell-cell interaction with up-regulation of adherens junction proteins, and alterations in the intrahepatic vascular tone because of the down-regulation of genes involved in vasodilatation.
authors.affiliation: Hormonal Laboratory, Hospital Clínic and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: Sònia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tugues
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales-Ruiz
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Varo
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ros
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arteta
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Luque
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodés
authors.forename: Wladimiro
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiménez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics; D002469:Cell Separation; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000592:standards; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000592:standards; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics