MALDI imaging MS reveals candidate lipid markers of polycystic kidney disease

Genome-scale gene expression profiling of PCK and SD livers as control was performed to attempt elucidation of some of the underlying mechanisms leading to increases of cholesterol and taurine-conjugated bile acids in the PCK rat. Several pathways were found to be changed in cystic livers with up regulation or down regulation of important gene sets. Enhanced expression of steroid biosynthesis genes might result in the observed increased levels of cholesterol. In contrast, primary bile acid biosynthesis was found to be down regulated in diseased livers. These findings might be explained by compensatory mechanisms of liver metabolism to reduce toxic levels of accumulated bile acids.