title: Patterns of dioxin-altered mRNA expression in livers of dioxin-sensitive versus dioxin-resistant rats.
abstract: Dioxins exert their major toxicologic effects by binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and altering gene transcription. Numerous dioxin-responsive genes previously were identified both by conventional biochemical and molecular techniques and by recent mRNA expression microarray studies. However, of the large set of dioxin-responsive genes the specific genes whose dysregulation leads to death remain unknown. To identify specific genes that may be involved in dioxin lethality we compared changes in liver mRNA levels following exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in three strains/lines of dioxin-sensitive rats with changes in three dioxin-resistant rat strains/lines. The three dioxin-resistant strains/lines all harbor a large deletion in the transactivation domain of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Despite this deletion, many genes exhibited a "Type-I" response-that is, their responses were similar in dioxin-sensitive and dioxin-resistant rats. Several genes that previously were well established as being dioxin-responsive or under AHR regulation emerged as Type-I responses (e.g. CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP1B1 and Gsta3). In contrast, a relatively small number of genes exhibited a Type-II response-defined as a difference in responsiveness between dioxin-sensitive and dioxin-resistant rat strains. Type-II genes include: malic enzyme 1, ubiquitin C, cathepsin L, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and ferritin light chain 1. In silico searches revealed that AH response elements are conserved in the 5'-flanking regions of several genes that respond to TCDD in both the Type-I and Type-II categories. The vast majority of changes in mRNA levels in response to 100 microg/kg TCDD were strain-specific; over 75% of the dioxin-responsive clones were affected in only one of the six strains/lines. Selected genes were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR in dose-response and time-course experiments and responses of some genes were assessed in Ahr-null mice to determine if their response was AHR-dependent. Type-II genes may lie in pathways that are central to the difference in susceptibility to TCDD lethality in this animal model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Monique A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Franc
authors.forename: Ivy D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Moffat
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Boutros
authors.forename: Jouni T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Tuomisto
authors.forename: Jouko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuomisto
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pohjanvirta
authors.forename: Allan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Okey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon