Hypertensive Rat Kidney Study: Gender-Selective Responses to Salt in Dahl-Iwai & Sprague-Dawley Rats

Dahl-Iwai (DI) salt-sensitive rats were studied using microarrays to identify gender-specific differences in the kidney, both basal differences and responses to a high salt diet. In DI rat kidneys, gene expression profiles demonstrated inflammatory and fibrotic responses selectively in females. Gonadectomy of DI rats abrogated gender differences in gene expression. Gonadectomized female and gonadectomized male DI rats both responded to high salt with the same spectrum of gene expression changes as intact female DI rats. Androgens dominated the gender selective responses to salt. Several androgen-responsive genes were identified with roles potentiating the differential responses to salt including increased male expression of Angiotensin-Vasopressin Receptor and Prolactin Receptor, decreased 5-alpha reductase, and mixed increases and decreases in expression of Cyp4a- genes that can produce eicosanoid hormones. These gender differences potentiate sodium retention by males, and increase kidney function during gestation by females. Keywords: Disease-State Analysis (Salt-Sensitive Hypertension) - 68 samples/rats/data tables are represented. - One microarray was used for each sample. - 3 rat

本研究以达尔-伊瓦伊（Dahl-Iwai，DI）盐敏感性大鼠为研究对象，采用基因微阵列（microarray）技术，旨在鉴定其肾脏组织中的性别特异性差异，涵盖基础表达差异与高盐饮食应答反应。在DI盐敏感性大鼠的肾脏组织中，基因表达谱显示雌性个体特异性出现炎症与纤维化应答反应。对DI大鼠实施性腺切除术可消除其基因表达的性别差异。去性腺后的雌性与雄性DI大鼠，在高盐饮食刺激下的基因表达变化谱，与未手术的雌性DI大鼠完全一致。雄激素主导了盐刺激应答的性别选择性差异。现已鉴定出多种雄激素应答基因，它们可增强盐应答的性别差异，具体包括：雄性个体中血管紧张素-加压素受体（Angiotensin-Vasopressin Receptor）、催乳素受体（Prolactin Receptor）的表达上调，5α-还原酶的表达下调，以及可生成类二十烷酸激素的Cyp4a家族基因的表达呈现双向变化（部分上调、部分下调）。此类性别差异可增强雄性个体的钠潴留能力，并提升雌性个体在妊娠期间的肾脏功能。关键词：疾病状态分析（盐敏感性高血压）—— 本数据集包含68份大鼠样本/数据表格—— 每份样本均采用一块基因微阵列进行检测—— 3只大鼠