Analysis of gene expression after chronic restraint stress in the animal model of depression

众所周知，压力与抑郁症等精神疾病的发展有关。在本研究中，我们寻找了两种大鼠(Fisher 344和Spraogue-Dawley(SD))在慢性束缚应激后的差异表达基因。实验通过比较雄性Fisher 344大鼠三个离散脑区(下丘脑、海马体和大脑皮层)的基因表达来进行，与雄性SD大鼠相比，Fisher 344是一种有效的应激脆弱模型。我们使用微阵列系统筛选动物下丘脑的差异表达基因。利用聚合酶链式反应确定了Fisher 344大鼠和SD大鼠的两个差异表达基因。在下丘脑，Fisher 344大鼠细胞色素C氧化酶(COX)(亚基IV)的转录水平低于SD大鼠。而Fisher 344组大鼠海马区COX表达水平明显高于SD组。Fisher 344大鼠三个脑区磷酸化酶B的表达均高于SD大鼠。这两个基因的表达变化与能量代谢过程有关，可能导致慢性应激后神经元功能受损，并与应激相关精神病理障碍的发生有关。

Stress is known to be involved in the development of psychopathologies such as depression. In the present study, we searched for differentially expressed genes in the two species of rats (Fisher 344 and Sprague-Dawley(SD)) after chronic restraint stress. Experiments were conducted by comparing gene expressions in three discrete brain areas (hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex) of male Fisher 344 rats, a valid stress-vulnerable model in comparison with those in male SD rats. We used the microarray system for screening differentially expressed genes in hypothalamus of the animals. Using PCR to confirm the mRNA amounts, we identified two genes whose expression levels differed between Fisher 344 and SD rats. In hypothalamus, transcript levels of cytochrome c oxidase (COX)(subunit IV) of Fisher 344 rats were lower than those of SD. In contrast, the levels of COX were higher in hippocampus of Fisher 344 rats than those of SD rats. The expressions of phosphorylase b kings e in the three brain areas of Fisher 344 rats were higher than those of SD rats. The alterations in expression of these two genes, which are related to processes of energy metabolism, may cause impairment of neuronal function after chronic stress and be related to the development of stress associated psychopathological disorders