Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-12-2010
Department
Computing
School
Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering
Abstract
Background: Evolution of toxicity testing is predicated upon using in vitro cell based systems to rapidly screen and predict how a chemical might cause toxicity to an organ in vivo. However, the degree to which we can extend in vitro results to in vivo activity and possible mechanisms of action remains to be fully addressed.
Results: Here we use the nitroaromatic 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) as a model chemical to compare and determine how we might extrapolate from in vitro data to in vivo effects. We found 341 transcripts differentially expressed in common among in vitro and in vivo assays in response to TNT. The major functional term corresponding to these transcripts was cell cycle. Similarly modulated common pathways were identified between in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we uncovered the conserved common transcriptional gene regulatory networks between in vitro and in vivo cellular liver systems that responded to TNT exposure, which mainly contain 2 subnetwork modules: PTTG1 and PIR centered networks. Interestingly, all 7 genes in the PTTG1 module were involved in cell cycle and downregulated by TNT both in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusions: The results of our investigation of TNT effects on gene expression in liver suggest that gene regulatory networks obtained from an in vitro system can predict in vivo function and mechanisms. Inhibiting PTTG1 and its targeted cell cyle related genes could be key machanism for TNT induced liver toxicity.
Publication Title
BMC Systems Biology
Volume
4
Recommended Citation
Deng, Y.,
Johnson, D. R.,
Ai, J.,
Perkins, E. J.,
Meyer, S. A.
(2010). In Vitro Gene Regulatory Networks Predict In Vivo Function of Liver. BMC Systems Biology, 4.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/932
A table (supplementary table 1) providing a list of transcripts that were commonly regulated by TNT in vivo and in vitro
12918_2010_564_MOESM2_ESM.DOC (592 kB)
A PDF including supplementary materials and methods, supplementary table 2 and supplementary Figure 1
12918_2010_564_MOESM3_ESM.XLSX (49 kB)
A table (supplementary table 3) shows in vitro experimental design
Comments
Published by 'BMC Systems Biology' at 10.1186/1752-0509-4-153.