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The human carotid body transcriptome with focus on oxygen sensing and inflammation – a comparative analysis
Author(s) -
Mkrtchian Souren,
Kåhlin Jessica,
Ebberyd Anette,
Gonzalez Constancio,
Sanchez Diego,
Balbir Alexander,
Kostuk Eric W,
Shirahata Machiko,
Fagerlund Malin Jonsson,
Eriksson Lars I
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.231084
Subject(s) - transcriptome , carotid body , gene , gene expression , biology , microarray analysis techniques , gene expression profiling , in silico , microarray , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , neuroscience , electrophysiology
Key points• The carotid body (CB) is the key oxygen sensor and governs the ventilatory response to hypoxia. • CB oxygen sensing and signalling gene expression is well described in animals whereas human data are absent. • Here we have characterized the human CB global gene expression in comparison with functionally related tissues and mouse CB gene expression. • We show that the human CB expresses oxygen sensing genes in common with mice but also differs on key genes such as certain K + channels. There is moreover increased expression of inflammatory response genes in human and mouse CBs in comparison with related tissues. • The study establishes similarities but also important differences between animal and human CB gene expression profiles and provides a platform for future functional studies on human CBs.Abstract The carotid body (CB) is the key oxygen sensing organ. While the expression of CB specific genes is relatively well studied in animals, corresponding data for the human CB are missing. In this study we used five surgically removed human CBs to characterize the CB transcriptome with microarray and PCR analyses, and compared the results with mice data. In silico approaches demonstrated a unique gene expression profile of the human and mouse CB transcriptomes and an unexpected upregulation of both human and mouse CB genes involved in the inflammatory response compared to brain and adrenal gland data. Human CBs express most of the genes previously proposed to be involved in oxygen sensing and signalling based on animal studies, including NOX2, AMPK, CSE and oxygen sensitive K + channels. In the TASK subfamily of K + channels, TASK‐1 is expressed in human CBs, while TASK‐3 and TASK‐5 are absent, although we demonstrated both TASK‐1 and TASK‐3 in one of the mouse reference strains. Maxi‐K was expressed exclusively as the spliced variant ZERO in the human CB. In summary, the human CB transcriptome shares important features with the mouse CB, but also differs significantly in the expression of a number of CB chemosensory genes. This study provides key information for future functional investigations on the human carotid body.