To identify new molecular markers of beef sensory quality, the transcriptomes of Longissimus thoracis muscle from 25 Charolais bull calves were analyzed using microarrays and compared between high and low meat quality groups; 215 genes were differentially expressed according to tenderness, juiciness, and/or flavor. Among these, 23 were up-regulated in the tenderest, juiciest, and tastiest meats, and 18 were highly correlated with both flavor and juiciness (e.g., PRKAG1), explaining up to 60% of their variability. Nine were down-regulated in the same meats, but only DNAJA1 [the results relating to DNAJA1 and its relationship with tenderness have been patented (Genomic marker for meat tenderness; Patent EP06300943.5, September 12, 2006)], which encodes a heat shock protein, showed a strong negative correlation with tenderness that alone explained 63% of its variability. This protein, known for its anti-apoptotic role, could be involved in meat aging. Thus, DNAJA1 could constitute a new marker of beef sensory quality.

Heart failure is a multifactorial disease that may result from different initiating events. To contribute to an improved comprehension of normal cardiac function and the molecular events leading to heart failure, we performed large-scale gene expression analysis of failing and nonfailing human ventricle. Our aim was to define and compare expression profiles of 4 specific pathophysiological cardiac situations: 1) left ventricle (LV) from nonfailing heart; 2) LV from failing hearts affected by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); 3) LV from failing hearts affected by ischemic CM (ICM); 4) right ventricle (RV) from failing hearts affected by DCM or ICM. We used oligonucleotide arrays representing approximately 12,000 human genes. After stringent numerical analyses using several statistical tests, we identified 1,306 genes with a similar expression profile in all 4 cardiac situations, therefore representative of part of the human cardiac expression profile. A total of 95 genes displayed differential expression between failing and nonfailing heart samples, reflecting a reversal to developmental gene expression, dedifferentiation of failing cardiomyocytes, and involvement of apoptosis. Twenty genes were differentially expressed between failing LV and failing RV, identifying possible candidates for different functioning of both ventricles. Finally, no genes were found to be significantly differentially expressed between failing DCM and failing ICM LV, emphasizing that transcriptomal analysis of explanted hearts results mainly in identification of expression profiles of end-stage heart failure and less in determination of expression profiles of the underlying etiology. Taken together, our data resulted in identification of putative transcriptomal landmarks for normal and disturbed cardiac function.

By triggering an adaptive response to hypoxia which is a common feature of tumor microenvironments, endothelial cells contribute to the onset of angiogenic responses involved in tumor growth. Therefore, identifying hypoxic markers represent a challenge for a better understanding of tumor angiogenesis and for the optimization of anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategy. Using representational difference analysis combined with microarray, we here report the identification of 133 hypoxia-induced transcripts in human microendothelial cells (HMEC-1). By Northern blot, we confirm hypoxia-induced expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (igfbp3), thioredoxin-interacting protein (txnip), neuritin (nrn1). Finally, by performing in situ hybridization on several types of human tumors, we provide evidence for nrn1 and txnip as hypoxic perinecrotic markers and for igfbp3 as a tumor endothelial marker. We propose these hypoxia-induced genes could represent relevant prognostic tools and targets for therapeutic intervention in cancers.