title: The Analysis of Gene Expression on Fertility Decline in Caenorhabditis elegans after the Treatment with 5-Fluorouracil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  5-Fluorouracil could lead to a decline in fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans. The aim of this study was to describe the mechanisms underlying such an altered fertility phenotype and to illustrate the specific genes and pathways that are involved in the related phenotypic changes in C. elegans.
  
  
  METHODS
  We isolated total RNA from the samples and used a new method called Digital Gene Expression (DGE), which can rapidly identify genes with altered transcript levels. The random genes were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed the results of two methods to draw conclusions based on a comparison between C. elegans and other harmful parasites. Compared with controls, 1147 genes were up-regulated, and 1067 were down-regulated. Overall, 101 up-regulated genes had a log2 ratio higher than 8, whereas the log2 ratio of 141 down-regulated genes was higher than 8. After mapping to the reference database, 4 pathways were confirmed to be involved in this phenomenon, with statistically significant participation from 19 genes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, the transcript sequence of 5-Fu-treated worms and controls was detected. We found that 4 possible pathways, i.e., ECM-receptor interaction pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, Focal adhesion and Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, may be involved in the number decline in the embryos of C. elegans. Specifically, the ECM-receptor interaction pathway and Focal adhesion may be very important pathways that alter the reproduction of C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China ; Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Fengtai District of Beijing City, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Zhaolian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Ximei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anesthesiology, First Hospital, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Genshu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China ; Suqian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China ; Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China ; Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Julong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Pathogens Biology Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Gansu, China ; Key Lab of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: 5-Fluorouracil; Caenorhabditis elegans; Digital gene expression