Comprehensive Screening of Gene Function and Networks by DNA Microarray Analysis in Japanese Patients with Idiopathic Portal Hypertension

Abstract EN

The functions of genes involved in idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) remain unidentified.

The present study was undertaken to identify the functions of genes expressed in bloodsamples from patients with IPH through comprehensive analysis of gene expression usingDNA microarrays.

The data were compared with data from healthy individuals to explore thefunctions of genes showing increased or decreased expression in patients with IPH.

In clusteranalysis, no dominant probe group was shown to differ between patients with IPH and healthycontrols.

In functional annotation analysis using the Database for Annotation Visualizationand Integrated Discovery tool, clusters showing dysfunction in patients with IPH involvedgene terms related to the immune system.

Analysis using network-based pathways revealeddecreased expression of adenosine deaminase, ectonucleoside triphosphatediphosphohydrolase 4, ATP-binding cassette, subfamily C, member 1, transforming growthfactor-β, and prostaglandin E receptor 2; increased expression of cytochrome P450, family 4,subfamily F, polypeptide 3, and glutathione peroxidase 3; and abnormalities in the immunesystem, nucleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid/leukotriene pathways, and biologicalprocesses.

These results suggested that IPH involved compromised function ofimmunocompetent cells and that such dysfunction may be associated with abnormalities innucleic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid/leukotriene-related synthesis/metabolism.