PH14 Ecotoxicogenomics
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Thursday
(PH171) Alterations in global gene expression in heavy metal exposed deer mice from Anaconda, Montana.
LaVire, H1, Quigley, S1, Beyer, R1, Bammler, T1, Hooper, M2, Kavanagh, T1, 1 University of Washington, Seattle, WA2 Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
ABSTRACT- Ecotoxicology studies conducted at the Anaconda Smelter Site (Montana) show varying tissue concentrations of As, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn in small mammal tissues. This provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of differential metal accumulation on gene expression in tissues from wild rodent populations. In order to study these relationships, changes in global gene expression were analyzed via cDNA microarray analysis. Validity of hybridization was confirmed by hybridizing low-dose Peromyscus liver sample with a Mus reference liver sample, as well as hybridizing pooled Peromyscus samples having differing levels of cadmium concentrations in the liver. Peromyscus total liver RNA was successfully hybridized to Mus musculus cDNA microarrays. A group of 90 genes were found to be potentially up- or down-regulated with cadmium exposure in a dose-dependent manner (slope>1.5, R2>0.7). A subset of these 90 genes involved in such processes as cell cycle regulation, cellular transport, and detoxification of exogenous compounds was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. These results further our knowledge of the complex mechanisms by which wild rodent species respond to chronic low-level heavy metal mixture exposures. Sponsored by NIEHS grants P42ES04696 and P30ES007033.
Key words: Anaconda, MT, Peromyscus, heavy metals, cDNA microarray