Cellular transcriptomics -- the next phase of endocrine expression profiling

Cellular distribution of Egr1 transcription in the male rat pituitary gland

The transcription factor gene Egr1 is necessary for female fertility; EGR1 protein is an established molecular regulator of adult female gonadotroph function where it mediates GNRH-stimulated transcription of the Lhb gene. Recent studies have also implicated pituitary EGR1 in the mediation of other physiological signals indicating an integrative function. However, the role of EGR1 in males is less well defined and this uncertainty is compounded by the absence of cellular expression data in the male pituitary gland. The aim of this study, therefore, was to define the distribution of Egr1 gene expression in the adult male rat pituitary. To further this aim, we have evaluated cellular populations in a transgenic rat model (Egr1-d2EGFP), in which we demonstrate regulated green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in EGR1+ pituitary cells. Cellular filling by GFP enabled morphological and molecular differentiation of different populations of gonadotrophs; Egr1 transcription and LHB were highly co-localised in a major population of large cells but only minimally co-localised in small GFP+ cells; the latter cells were shown to be largely (80%) composed of minority populations of GH+ somatotrophs (9% of total GH+) and PRL+ lactotrophs (3% of total PRL+). Egr1 transcription was not found in TSH+, ACTH+ or SOX2+ precursor cells and was only minimally co-localised in S-100β+ folliculostellate cells. Our demonstration that the Egr1 gene is actively and selectively transcribed in a major sub-population of male LHB+ cells indicates a largely conserved role in gonadotroph function and has provided a basis for further defining this role.

Integrating genomic analysis with the genetic basis of gene expression: preliminary evidence of the identification of causal genes for cardiovascular and metabolic traits related to nutrition in Mexicans

Whole-transcriptome expression profiling provides novel phenotypes for analysis of complex traits. Gene expression measurements reflect quantitative variation in transcript-specific messenger RNA levels and represent phenotypes lying close to the action of genes. Understanding the genetic basis of gene expression will provide insight into the processes that connect genotype to clinically significant traits representing a central tenet of system biology. Synchronous in vivo expression profiles of lymphocytes, muscle, and subcutaneous fat were obtained from healthy Mexican men. Most genes were expressed at detectable levels in multiple tissues, and RNA levels were correlated between tissue types. A subset of transcripts with high reliability of expression across tissues (estimated by intraclass correlation coefficients) was enriched for cis-regulated genes, suggesting that proximal sequence variants may influence expression similarly in different cellular environments. This integrative global gene expression profiling approach is proving extremely useful for identifying genes and pathways that contribute to complex clinical traits. Clearly, the coincidence of clinical trait quantitative trait loci and expression quantitative trait loci can help in the prioritization of positional candidate genes. Such data will be crucial for the formal integration of positional and transcriptomic information characterized as genetical genomics.

Single cell transcriptomics of hypothalamic warm sensitive neurons that control core body temperature and fever response Signaling asymmetry and an extension of chemical neuroanatomy

We report on an 'unbiased' molecular characterization of individual, adult neurons, active in a central, anterior hypothalamic neuronal circuit, by establishing cDNA libraries from each individual, electrophysiologically identified warm sensitive neuron (WSN). The cDNA libraries were analyzed by Affymetrix microarray. The presence and frequency of cDNAs were confirmed and enhanced with Illumina sequencing of each single cell cDNA library. cDNAs encoding the GABA biosynthetic enzyme Gad1 and of adrenomedullin, galanin, prodynorphin, somatostatin, and tachykinin were found in the WSNs. The functional cellular and in vivo studies on dozens of the more than 500 neurotransmitters, hormone receptors and ion channels, whose cDNA was identified and sequence confirmed, suggest little or no discrepancy between the transcriptional and functional data in WSNs; whenever agonists were available for a receptor whose cDNA was identified, a functional response was found. Sequencing single neuron libraries permitted identification of rarely expressed receptors like the insulin receptor, adiponectin receptor 2 and of receptor heterodimers; information that is lost when pooling cells leads to dilution of signals and mixing signals. Despite the common electrophysiological phenotype and uniform Gad1 expression, WSN transcriptomes show heterogeneity, suggesting strong epigenetic influence on the transcriptome. Our study suggests that it is well-worth interrogating the cDNA libraries of single neurons by sequencing and chipping.

Pineal gland expression of the transcription factor Egr-1 is restricted to a population of glia that are distinct from nestin-immunoreactive cells

Egr-1 is a plasticity-related transcription factor that has been implicated in circadian regulation of the pineal gland. In the present study we have investigated the cellular expression pattern of Egr-1 in the adult rat pineal. Egr-1 protein is restricted to the nucleus of a sub-population of cells. These cells were characterised using a new transgenic rat model (egr-1-d2EGFP) in which green fluorescent protein is driven by the egr-1 promoter. Cellular filling by GFP revealed that Egr-1-positive cells exhibited processes, indicating a glial cell-type morphology. This was confirmed by co-localizing the GFP-filled processes with vimentin and S-100beta. However, GFP/Egr-1 is expressed in only a tiny minority of the previously identified Id-1/vimentin-positive glial cells and therefore represents a novel sub-set of this (GFAP-negative) glial population. We have also demonstrated for the first time an extensive network of nestin-positive cells throughout the adult pineal gland, however these cells do not co-express Egr-1. Our studies have therefore broadened our understanding of the cell populations that constitute the adult pineal. Cellular localization of Egr-1 has revealed that this factor does not appear to be directly involved in pinealocyte production of melatonin but is required in a sub-set of pineal glia.