Abstract
DNA Microarray (DNA Chip) that is loaded with numerous number of different oligonucleotides is a useful tool to perform analyses on cell/tissue specific expression of functional genes, and provides us invaluable knowledge regarding physiological or pathological nature of primates on the genome base. Macaque monkeys are essential experimental animals for biomedical research, since their genomic and physiological nature is extremely similar to humans. However little information has been accumulated on expression profiling of monkey functional genes. In this study we examined extensive gene expression profiling of PBMC from Japanese macaque and human using a DNA Chip, CodeLink.
CodeLink 20K plate revealed high cross-reactivity, no less than 85%, with monkey RNA, indicating this DNA Chip plate is available to perform extensive gene expression analyses in monkey. Interestingly expression level of three thousands functional genes in monkey PBMC were found to be higher rather than those of human. This is previously unknown genome characteristic in monkey and suggests significant difference in PBMC function between human and monkey. We also applied this DNA Chip to examine gene expression profile in naturally occurred stomach cancer of Japanese macaque.
