Molecular pathogenesis of Helicobacter hepaticus induced liver disease

Helicobacter hepaticus infection of A/JCr mice is a model of liver cancer resulting from chronic active inflammation. We monitored hepatic global gene expression profiles and correlated them to histological liver lesions in H. hepaticus infected and control male A/JCr mice at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year of age. We used an Affymetrix-based oligonucleotide microarray platform on the premise that a specific genetic expression signature at isolated time points would be indicative of disease status. Model based expression index comparisons generated by dChip yielded consistent profiles of differential gene expression for H. hepaticus infected male mice with progressive liver disease versus uninfected control mice within each age group. Linear discriminant analysis and principal component analysis allowed segregation of mice based on combined age and lesion status, or age alone. Up-regulated genes present throughout the 12 month study involved inflammation, tissue repair, and host immune function. Upregulation of putative tumor and proliferation markers correlated with advancing hepatocellular dysplasia. Transcriptionally down-regulated genes in mice with liver lesions included those related to peroxisome proliferator, cholesterol, and steroid metabolism pathways. Transcriptional profiling of hepatic genes documented gene expression signatures in the livers of H. hepaticus infected male A/JCr mice with chronic progressive hepatitis and preneoplastic liver lesions, complemented the histopathological diagnosis, and suggested molecular targets for the monitoring and intervention of disease progression prior to the onset of hepatocellular neoplasia. Our laboratory, in collaboration with Professors Suerbaum and Schauer, recently identified a

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Biological Engineering Division.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Boutin, Samuel R., 1952-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• James G. Fox.

• Biological Engineering Division.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35696

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/35696