Transcription profiling by array of tbx5, nkx2-5 or both transcription factor knockouts during early heart formation in mouse

In the developing heart, heterotypic transcription factors (TFs) interactions, such as between the T-box TF TBX5 and the homeodomain TF NKX2-5 have been proposed as a mechanism for human congenital heart disease. In order to study the role of each TF during heart formation, embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived embryos were generated from KO ES cells for Tbx5, Nkx2-5 or both TFs. We used microarrays to identify changes in the gene expression due to the lack of Tbx5, Nkx2-5 or both TFs during early heart formation. WT, Nkx2-5KO (NKO), Tbx5KO (TKO) and Tbx5KO;Nkx2-5KO (DKO) E8.75 mouse hearts were microdissected for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.