Gene expression profile in the diaphragm following contractile inactivity during thoracic surgery

Recent work revealed the development of marked diaphragm muscle fiber weakness during two hours of thoracic surgery. This loss of muscle fiber function was not part of a generalized muscle weakness as function of the non-respiratory latissimus dorsi muscle was preserved. To disentangle the molecular processes that might underlie the development of diaphragm muscle fiber weakness during thoracic surgery we studied changes in the gene expression profile. Analyzed were diaphragm samples at t0 vs t2 and latissimus dorsi at t0 vs t2. In total 8 Diaphragm samples and 6 latissimus dorsi samples were analyzed.