A comparison of aorta and vena cava medial message expression by cDNA array analysis identifies a set of 68 consistently differentially expressed genes, all in aortic media.

We performed a systematic analysis of gene expression in arteries and veins by comparing message profiles of macaque aorta and vena cava media using a cDNA array containing 4048 known human genes, approximately 35% of currently named human genes (approximately 11,000). The data show extensive differences in RNA expression in artery versus vein media. Sixty-eight genes had consistent elevation in message expression by the aorta, but none were elevated in the vena cava. The most differentially expressed gene was regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) 5, at an expression ratio of 46.5+/-12.6 (mean+/-SEM). The data set also contained 2 genes already known to be expressed in the aorta, elastin at 5.0+/-1.4, and the aortic preferentially expressed gene 1 (APEG-1) at 2.3+/-0.6. We chose to analyze RGS5 expression further because of its high level of differential expression in the aorta. Levels of RGS5 mRNA were confirmed by Northern analysis and in situ hybridization. A human tissue RNA dot blot showed that RGS5 message is highest in aorta, followed by small intestine, stomach, and then heart. Northern analysis confirmed that RGS5 expression in human aorta is higher than in any region of the heart. RGS5 is a G-protein signaling regulator of unknown specificity most homologous to RGS4, an inhibitory regulator of pressure-induced cardiac hypertrophy. The expression pattern of the 68 differential genes as a whole is a start toward identifying the molecular phenotypes of arteries and veins on a systematic basis.