title: Divergence between motoneurons: gene expression profiling provides a molecular characterization of functionally discrete somatic and autonomic motoneurons.
abstract: Studies in the developing spinal cord suggest that different motoneuron (MN) cell types express very different genetic programs, but the degree to which adult programs differ is unknown. To compare genetic programs between adult MN columnar cell types, we used laser capture microdissection (LCM) and Affymetrix microarrays to create expression profiles for three columnar cell types: lateral and medial MNs from lumbar segments and sympathetic preganglionic motoneurons located in the thoracic intermediolateral nucleus. A comparison of the three expression profiles indicated that approximately 7% (813/11,552) of the genes showed significant differences in their expression levels. The largest differences were observed between sympathetic preganglionic MNs and the lateral motor column, with 6% (706/11,552) of the genes being differentially expressed. Significant differences in expression were observed for 1.8% (207/11,552) of the genes when comparing sympathetic preganglionic MNs with the medial motor column. Lateral and medial MNs showed the least divergence, with 1.3% (150/11,552) of the genes being differentially expressed. These data indicate that the amount of divergence in expression profiles between identified columnar MNs does not strictly correlate with divergence of function as defined by innervation patterns (somatic/muscle vs. autonomic/viscera). Classification of the differentially expressed genes with regard to function showed that they underpin all fundamental cell systems and processes, although most differentially expressed genes encode proteins involved in signal transduction. Mining the expression profiles to examine transcription factors essential for MN development suggested that many of the same transcription factors participate in combinatorial codes in embryonic and adult neurons, but patterns of expression change significantly.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Kimberly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Machacek
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawchuk
authors.forename: Shawn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hochman
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Baro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors