[Screening for genes associated with cardiac fibrosis induced by aldosterone].

AIM To investigate differently expressed genes associated with cardiac fibrosis induced independently by aldosterone. METHODS Fetal cardiac fibroblasts (FCFs)were isolated and cultured. Total RNA was extracted 8 hours after aldosterone administration. Then gene chips were used to screen these RNA samples. Some of candidate genes were confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS Differently expressed 1519 genes were screened. Up-regulated genes were 714 while down-regulated genes were 805. The expression of CCL7, MMP-26 and IL31RA was tested by RT-PCR and western blot, the results is identical with those by gene chips. CONCLUSION Gene chip can efficiently single out differently expressed genes induced dependently by aldosterone in FCFs. CCL7, MMP-26 and IL31RA may be associated with cardiac fibrosis induced by aldosterone.