Novel gene transcripts preferentially expressed in human muscles revealed by quantitative hybridization of a high density cDNA array.

A set of 1091 human skeletal muscle cDNA clone inserts representing more than 800 human gene transcripts were spotted as PCR products at high density on nylon membranes. Replicas of the filters were hybridized in stringent conditions with 33P-radiolabeled cDNA probes transcribed from skeletal muscle poly(A)+ RNA. Hybridization signals were collected on phosphor screens and processed using a software specifically adapted for this application to identify and quantitate each spot.

Reduction in mitochondrial potential constitutes an early irreversible step of programmed lymphocyte death in vivo.

In a number of experimental systems in which lymphocyte depletion was induced by apoptosis-inducing manipulations, no apoptotic morphology and ladder-type DNA fragmentation were detected among freshly isolated peripheral lymphocytes ex vivo. Here we report that one alteration that can be detected among splenocytes stimulated with lymphocyte-depleting doses of dexamethasone (DEX) in vivo is a reduced uptake of 3,3'dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC6[3]), a fluorochrome which incorporates into cells dependent upon their mitochondrial transmembrane potential (delta psi m). In contrast, ex vivo isolated splenocytes still lacked established signs of programmed cell death (PCD):DNA degradation into high or low molecular weight fragments, ultrastructural changes of chromatin arrangement and endoplasmatic reticulum, loss in viability, or accumulation of intracellular peroxides.