Gene Expression Profiles Associated with Ethanol-Induced Teratogenic Effects in a C57BL/6 Mouse Embryo Culture Model

Mouse model for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Embryos exposed to alcohol in controlled environment to assess teratogenic effects. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a leading developmental disorder. To date, a holistic view of molecular gene changes is largely unexplored. Using microarray analysis of whole embryo mouse culture with strict-control over alcohol-level, we found, directly related alcohol-metabolism, a reduction of retinol binding protein 1(Rbp1), and a, de novo expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1B1 (ALDH1B1). Remarkably, four key hemopoiesis genes (glycophorin A, adducin 2, beta-2 microglobulin, and ceruloplasmin) became absent, and many histone variants genes were reduced. Hypothesis-driven informatics analysis and intersection analysis of two independent experiments indicated that the altered genes are involved in cell growth, hemopoiesis, histone modification, eye and heart development, and a collective reduction in expression of growth factor genes (Igf1, Efemp1, Tieg, and Edil3) and neural specification genes (neurogenin, Sox 5, bHLHb5). Down-regulated neural specification phenotypes further supported the above findings. Further more, the gene expression profile indicated distinct subgroups which overlapped with the teratogenesis of the open- and the closed-neural tubes known in FAS. In summary, our data reveal genes alteration with causal potential for dysmorpology (e.g. retinoic acid, neuronal specification, and neurotrophic factors, and epigenetics related histone genes) and those downstream responsive genes related to alcohol metabolism, and developmental teratogenesis. Keywords: comparison of gene expression profiles for treated vs. control Comparison of whole embryo gene expression after exposure to ethanol for 46 hours. Note 2 independent experiments completed.