Transcriptomic analysis of prefrontal medial cortex, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens of alcohol-preferring and nonpreferring rats. Rattus norvegicus

Animal models provide opportunity to study neurobiological aspects of human alcoholism. Changes in gene expression have been implicated in mediating brain function, including reward system and addiction. The current study aimed to identify novel genes that may underlie ethanol preference. Microarray analysis comparing gene expression in nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus (HP) and prefrontal medial cortex (mPFC) was performed in two rat strains selected for extreme levels of ethanol preference - Warsaw High Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Low Preferring (WLP). The identified candidate genes may underlie differential ethanol preference in rat model of alcoholism. This study was supported through funding from the following grants: Polish Scientific Committee Grant 2011/03/N/NZ29/05222, Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education Grants “Iuventus Plus” (IP2011 030371) and N N519 657940. Overall design: This is analysis of 18 RNA samples, including 9 technical replicates. Two strains of rats selected for extreme levels of ethanol preference (low preferring WLP and high preferring WHP) were compared. Three brain areas (nucleus accumbens, prefrontal medial cortex and hippocampus) were studied. For each brain area, 6 RNA samples (including 3 technical replicates) were analyzed. Each RNA sample consist of of equal amounts of total RNA from 3 male rats. Comparisons: Nucleus accumbens of WHP vs. Nucleus accumbens of WLP; Prefrontal medial cortex of WHP vs. Prefrontal medial cortex of WLP; Hippocampus of WHP vs. Hippocampus of WLP. 3 biological replicates in each comparison.

动物模型为探究人类酒精中毒的神经生物学特征提供了可行途径。基因表达改变已被证实参与调控大脑功能，包括奖赏系统与成瘾过程。本研究旨在发掘可能参与乙醇偏好调控的新基因。
针对两个经选育的极端乙醇偏好大鼠品系——华沙高偏好品系（Warsaw High Preferring, WHP）与华沙低偏好品系（Warsaw Low Preferring, WLP），本研究采用基因芯片分析技术，对比了其伏隔核（nucleus accumbens, NAc）、海马体（hippocampus, HP）及内侧前额叶皮层（prefrontal medial cortex, mPFC）的基因表达水平。
本研究鉴定得到的候选基因，或可阐释大鼠酒精成瘾模型中乙醇偏好差异的分子机制。本研究获得以下项目资助：波兰科学委员会项目2011/03/N/NZ29/05222、波兰科学与高等教育部"Iuventus Plus"项目（IP2011 030371）及N N519 657940。
整体实验设计：本研究共分析18份RNA样本，包含9份技术重复。对两个极端乙醇偏好大鼠品系（低偏好WLP与高偏好WHP）开展对比分析。实验共选取3个脑区（伏隔核、内侧前额叶皮层及海马体）进行研究。每个脑区分析6份RNA样本（含3份技术重复）。每份RNA样本由3只雄性大鼠的总RNA等量混合制备。
对比组设置如下：WHP伏隔核 vs WLP伏隔核；WHP内侧前额叶皮层 vs WLP内侧前额叶皮层；WHP海马体 vs WLP海马体。每组对比均包含3份生物学重复。