Analysis of genes differentially expressed in astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide using cDNA arrays

We used cDNA arrays to investigate differentially expressed genes in astrocytes challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Astrocyte cultures were prepared from 1-day-old rat brains. Purified astrocytes were treated with LPS (1 microg/ml) for 2, 8 and 48 h. Differentially expressed genes in these astrocytes were examined with Atlas rat cDNA arrays. At all the three time points studied, three genes were found consistently up-regulated: I-kappaB alpha chain, NF-kappaB, and interferon induced protein. In addition to these three, six other genes were also up-regulated at 2 and 8 h. They were genes encoding vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1), interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1), mitochondrial hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase (HMG-CoA synthase), aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1) and neurotensin receptor 2. At these two time points, three genes were down-regulated: copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD-1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). Expression of several differentially expressed genes in cDNA array (I-kappaB, VCAM-1 and MIP-3) were further confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction study. The prominently modulated genes could be classified into three categories: nuclear transcription factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and metabolic enzymes. Application of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kappaB), prior to LPS stimulation not only prevented up-regulation of NF-kappaB gene expression, but also completely blocked up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (TNF-alpha and interleukin-1beta) and two chemokine genes: CXC chemokine LIX and CC chemokine MIP-3 alpha. These results indicate that both up-regulation of inflammatory cytokine expression and down-regulation of growth factor expression are probably involved in the response of astrocytes upon exposure to LPS.