Editors' ChoiceIdentification of interactive gene networks: A novel approach in gene array profiling of myometrial events during guinea pig pregnancy
Section snippets
Tissue preparation
This protocol was approved by the Animal Use Committee at the University of Maryland. Guinea pigs obtained from commercial breeders were sacrificed and the myometrium harvested from the contraplacental wall of midpregnant (MP, 0.67 gestation, quiescent myometrium, n = 3), late pregnant (LP, 0.96 gestation, active myometrium, n = 3), and nonpregnant (NP, n = 3) guinea pigs. The tissue was first washed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and then immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at
Gene expression profiles of guinea pig myometrium during mid and late gestation
Complete listing and categorization of all genes up- and down-regulated by a least a factor of 2 during MP and LP are provided in Table I, Table II. A cursory review of the findings reveals a greater distribution of genes significantly altered during LP than MP when both are compared with NP. Moreover, a higher number of genes appear to be up-regulated than down-regulated at MP, whereas at LP there appears to be more down-regulation than up-regulation.
Only 6% of the probe set IDs corresponding
Comment
We applied a 2-tiered approach to microarray analysis to move outside the traditional but introspective cluster analysis approach. First, we used conventional gene array technology to screen and identify target genes and gene products that were temporally regulated in the myometrium during pregnancy. Second, we generated ‘functional gene networks’ using Metacore™ to integrate reactions and interactions around the identified genes of interest. The result is a global and comprehensive analysis of
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Supported by the following grants from the United States Public Health Service: HL49041 (C.P.W.), U01-DP000187 (C.P.W.), and HD049185 (C.P.W.).