Transcriptomics
Summary
Transcriptomics examines the expression level of mRNAs in a given cell population, using high-throughput techniques based on DNA microarray technology. We have studied the effects of benzene and dioxin exposure on the peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptome. These studies give insights into mechanisms of toxicity, but do not provide a way of determining whether or not a disease was caused by a specific chemical agent.
Updates
In a cross-comparison of genes associated with benzene exposure using Affymetrix and Illumina microarray platforms to identify global gene expression changes associated with well-characterized occupational benzene exposure in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of a population, we found that some genes, which were significant on one platform, approached significance on the other platform. This suggests that the two platforms may differ in their ability to detect small changes in expression for specific probes, but that using the two microarray platforms enabled identification of a greater number of robust biomarkers than our previous approach of single-platform array analysis in conjunction with quantitative PCR confirmation.
Selected Publications
McHale CM, Zhang L, Lan Q, Li G, Hubbard AE, Forrest MS, Vermeulen R, Chen J, Shen M, Rappaport SM, Yin S, Smith MT, Rothman N (2009) Changes in the peripheral blood transcriptome associated with occupational benzene exposure identified by cross-comparison on two microarray platforms. Genomics, Apr;93(4):343-9. PMID: 19162166. [Abstract] [Full Text]
Smith MT. (2008) Misuse of genomics in assigning causation in relation to benzene exposure. Int J Occup Envir Health, 14(2):144-6. PMID 18507292. [Abstract] [Full Text]
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