Expression data from feline liver tissue

This study looks at the effect of dietary manipulation on the development of hepatic steatosis and changes in hepatic gene expression in a feline model. We used microarray analysis to examine changes in hepatic gene transcription in response to Trans fat, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and/or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in the domestic cat. The use of human Affymetrix arrays for the study of feline gene expression has previously been validated by Dowling and Bienzle, 2005, Journal of General Virology. 86(Pt 8), 2239-48 (PMID 16033971). Our study animals were bred from female Felis catus previously placed on one of 4 different dietary regimens for a period of 3 weeks prior to mating. The four dietary regimens used in this study were: [1] Standard Chow Control feline diet (Test Diet Purina catalog #5003); [2] MSG diet consisting of Control diet with 1.125% added Monosodium Glutamate (Diet A: Test Diet Purina catalog #5C1J); [3] Trans-fat/HFCS diet, containing 8.6% Trans fat and 24% HFCS (Diet B: Test Diet Purina catalog #5B4K); and [4] Trans-fat/HFCS and MSG diet, containing 8.6% Trans fat, 24% HFCS and 1.125% MSG (Diet C: Test Diet Purina catalog #5C1H). Following mating, the 4 groups of dams were maintained on their respective diets throughout the gestation and nursing period. Male offspring used in the following experiments were weaned onto the same diets and maintained on their respective dietary regimens until they reached 9 months of age. Hepatic tissues (4-5 per diet group) were used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays.