ABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the downstream genes of the transcriptional factor Pax-8 related to cardiopathy. METHODS: The total RNA derived from the heart of Pax-8 KO~(-/-) and Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice was extracted. Mouse genome DNA microarray containing 31 802 mouse oligonucleotides probes was used to investigate the differential expression between the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) and the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice hearts. The candidate genes were confirmed by RT-PCR and real time RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: Microarray results showed that, compared to the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice, 25 genes were down-regulated and 17 were up-regulated in the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) mice, concerning metabolize enzymes, cell signal conducting and nuclear transcript factors and so on. Bcl2-like 14 (Bcl2l14) was proved to be up-regulated by RT-PCR. Real time RT-PCR results revealed that Bcl2l14 in the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) mice was 2.07 and 2.23 fold as much as that in the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) and the Pax-8KO~(+/+) mice (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The Bcl2l14 gene is one of the downstream genes of Pax-8 and probably plays an important role in the mechanism of ventricular septum defect.