Influence of ovariectomy and estrogen replacement on gene expression profile of myocardium in rats

AIM:To investigate the influence of ovariectomy and estrogen replacement treatment on profile of gene expression in myocardium by cDNA microarray,and to characterize the targeting genes of estrogen.METHODS:cDNA microarray containing 1 400 rat cDNAs was used to study the genes differentially expressed in myocardium between sham (Ⅰ),ovariectomy (Ⅱ,OVX) and estrogen replacement treatment (Ⅲ,OVX+E2) group.Then down-regulated genes in myocardium of OVX rats were further confirmed by RT-PCR.RESULTS:177 genes were differentially expressed in myocardium between sham and OVX rats,with 91 genes up-regulated and 86 genes down-regulated in OVX rats.164 genes were differentially expressed in myocardium between OVX and OVX+E2 rats,with 113 genes up-regulated and 54 genes down-regulated in OVX rats.There were 54 genes differentially expressed in OVX compared to sham and OVX+E2.They are involved in membrane channels and transporters (18),cell receptors (9),intracellular transducers/effectors/modulator (7) and metabolism (6).Most of the genes (45) were down-regulated in OVX rats and up-regulated in OVX+E2 rats.RT-PCR test confirmed the results of cDNA microarray.CONCLUSIONS:Long-term estrogen replacement may influence the expression of genes involved in membrane channels and transporters,cell receptors,intracellular transducers/effectors/ modulator and metabolism.Long-term estrogen replacement has some beneficial effects on ionic concentration and cardiac function which partially comes from the results of influence of expression on Na+,K+-ATPase and Na+/H+ exchanger.Estrogen has an inhibitory effect on the expression of dopamine receptor,which partially clarify the myocardial protection of estrogen.