DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION IN THE EXPRESSION OF HEPATIC GENES IN NEPHROTIC AND PAIR-FED RATS

The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of albumin, fibrinogen, a lpha1-acid glycoprotein (pAGP) and transferrin were analyzed in puromy cin aminonucleoside (PAN)-treated (nephrotic) and in pair-fed (PF) rat s with the Northern and dot blot hybridization techniques. Albumin mRN A levels in nephrotic and PF rats were 2- and 1.5-fold higher, respect ively, than in ad-libitum-fed control (C) rats 6 days after PAN treatm ent. On day 11, this mRNA in PAN-treated rats was 2.5-fold higher than in PF and 4-fold higher than in C rats. A differential expression at the level of specific mRNAs was also detected for fibrinogen, pAGP, an d transferrin in nephrotic and PF rats. On day 6, the fibrinogen and t ransferrin mRNA levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in nephrot ic than in PF rats. In contrast, pAGP mRNA levels were normal or low i n nephrotic rats and increased 2-fold in PF rats. These studies indica te the differential expression of hepatic genes in nephrotic and PF ra ts and show that albumin gene expression is only partially regulated b y diet during the nephrotic stage of the disease.