Gene expression monitoring for gene discovery in models of peripheral and central nervous system differentiation, regeneration, and trauma

Gene expression monitoring using gene expression microarrays represents an extremely powerful technology for gene discovery in a variety of systems. W e describe the results of seven experiments using Incyte CEM technology to compile a proprietary portfolio of data concerning differential gene expres sion in six different models of neuronal differentiation and regeneration, and recovery from injury or disease. Our first two experiments cataloged ge nes significantly up- or down-regulated during two phases of the retinoic a cid-induced differentiation of the embryonal carcinoma line Ntera-2. To ide ntify genes involved in neuronal regeneration we performed three CEM experi ments, which included changes in gene expression in rat dorsal root ganglia during the healing of experimentally injured sciatic nerve, in regeneratin g neonatal opossum spinal cord, and during lipopolysaccharide stimulation o f primary cultures of rat Schwann cells. Finally we have monitored genes in volved in the recovery phase of the inflammatory disease of the rat spinal cord, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, as well as those responsible for protection from oxidative stress in a glutamate-resistant rat hippocam pal cell line. Analysis of the results of the approximately 70,000 data poi nts collected is presented. J. Cell. Biochem. 80.171-180, 2000. (C) 2000 Wi ley-Liss, Inc.