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Voluntary exercise modifies gene expression profiles in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of hypertensive rats
Author(s) -
Potts Jeffrey T,
Fong Angelina Y,
Mueller Patrick J,
McGovern David
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1171.2
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , solitary nucleus , sed , gene expression , nucleus , blood pressure , c fos , biology , gene , central nervous system , genetics , psychiatry
Regular exercise has beneficial effects on cardiovascular (CV) function. However, its affect on genetic components of brainstem nuceli is poorly understood. Since the NTS is essential for CV regulation, it may be a neural substrate for exercise‐induced CV adaptation. Rats (spontaneously hypertensive, SHR, n=4; Wistar‐Kyoto, WKY, n=4) performed voluntary wheel exercise (EX) for 12 weeks to screen for differentially expressed genes. Additional rats (n=4 per group) served as sedentary (SED) controls. Brainstems were harvested and NTS tissue was obtained by laser capture microscopy. Total RNA was hybridized to cDNA probes (Ratref12, Illumina) containing ~22,000 transcripts. The criterion for differential expression was > 2X difference in signal intensity. There was no significant difference in total distance (722±145 vs 594±91 km) or distance run per day (9±4 vs 7±3 km), SHR vs WKY. In SHR, exercise decreased resting blood pressure (131±3 vs 122±5 mmHg, P<0.05) and heart rate (311±14 vs 288±3 bpm, P<0.05), SHR‐SED vs SHR‐EX. No differences were found in WKY. Nineteen genes were differentially expressed in SHR‐EX (12 genes increased, 7 genes decreased). Of particular interest were genes involved in the inflammatory process (table). These results form the basis for future studies to elucidate mechanisms and links between voluntary exercise, NTS signaling and CV disease.