Transcriptomic profiles reveal differences between the right and left ventricle in normoxia and hypoxia

The right ventricle (RV) of the heart is affected with many pulmonary disorders including pulmonary hypertension. Here, we use RNA ‐seq. to characterize the altered genes in the RV and the left ventricle (LV) during hypoxia in a rat model. We compare changes in gene expression, but most importantly find a difference in immune cell‐related genes in the RV compared to the LV, and confirm this using flow cytometry and immuno blotting. AbstractChronic hypoxia from diseases in the lung, such as pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, can increase pulmonary vascular resistance, resulting in hypertrophy and dysfunction of the right ventricle (RV). In order to obtain insight into RV biology and perhaps uncover potentially novel therapeutic approaches for RV dysfunction, we performed RNA ‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) of RV and LV tissue from rats in normal ambient conditions or subjected to hypoxia (10% O2) for 2  weeks. Gene ontology and pathway analysis of the RV and LV revealed multiple transcriptomic differences, in particular increased expression in the RV of genes related to immune function in both normoxia and hypoxia. Immune cell profiling by flow cytometry of cardiac digests revealed that in both c onditions, the RV had a larger percentage than the LV of double‐positive CD45+/CD11b/c+ cells (which are predominantly macrophages and dendritic cells). Analysis of gene expression changes under hypoxic conditions identified multi...
Source: Physiological Reports - Category: Physiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research