title: Gene expression profiling of liver X receptor α and Bcl-2-associated X protein in experimental transection spinal cord-injured rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Study of molecular responses to central nervous system injury would be helpful for controlling the harmful pathways post-injury and triggering the useful pathways required for the treatment of injury.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression  level of liver X receptor α (LXRα) which has anti-inflammatory effects and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) upon spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  To induce SCI, transection was carried out at T9 level of male Wister  rats. Approximately 8 mm of rostral, caudal, and epicenter tissues of injured sites in treated rats were chosen for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at the 6, 24, and 72 hours, and 7 and 10 days post-surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed a complicated  temporal and spatial pattern of alteration in LXRα and Bax mRNA expression levels after SCI. LXRα expression level followed a homologues pattern (additive and subtractive wave) with a difference in time at three areas of studied. Rostral, caudal, and epicenter  expression patterns of Bax were dissimilar in these areas. Gradual increase in the expression of Bax without any decrease at the rostral area was observed, presumably indicating the active transcription process of this gene, regardless of its protein situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A time lapse significant change in Bax expression level was observed only in the epicenter of injury, emphasizing that apoptotic responses are limited to this area. Furthermore, an increase in LXRα transcription level was observed first in rostral area and then extended  to epicentral and caudal areas, implying that inflammation responses extended from rostral to caudal areas.
authors: Cell and Molecular Biology Division, Biology Department, School of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors: Esmat
authors: E
authors: Mohammadi
authors: Kamran
authors: K
authors: Ghaedi
authors: Abolghasem
authors: A
authors: Esmailie
authors: Soheila
authors: S
authors: Rahgozar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D000071518:Liver X Receptors; D008297:Male; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000071518:Liver X Receptors; C000605215:Nr1h3 protein, rat; D057093:Orphan Nuclear Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein