BMC genetics
The paper by Fedoseeva et al. titled “Comparative transcriptional profiling of renal cortex in rats with Inherited Stress-Induced Arterial Hypertension and normotensive Wistar Albino Glaxo rats” dissect genetic underpinnings of arterial hypertension, a disease which cannot be explained as progression along a straightforward route [2]. Hence, the entire biochemical network that runs within the renal cortex was considered, with every participating gene classified as either an element in the process imbalanced or otherwise disturbed due to the development of pathology, or as the compensatory change evoked in the processes of an attempt to restore the homeostasis.
The paper of Klimov et al. “Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of hypothalamus in rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension” continues in the wake of previous paper with a systems biology analysis of expression changes in hypothalamus of the same two strains of rats, and pinpointed the changes within three categories of genes: ‘the regulation of hormone level’, ‘the regulation of the blood pressure level’, and ‘the immune system processes’ [3].
The paper of Lavrov and co-authors titled “Frequent variations in cancer-related genes may play prognostic role in treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia” convincingly demonstrated that the gene variants present or absent in the genome of patient influence relative efficiency of the therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia, thus, paving a way to personalized approach to the treatment of this disease [4].
Finally the paper “Genomic Determinants of Birth Weight Variability in the Pig” by Wang and co-author explored the polimorphisms influencing the weight of newborn piglets, and highlighted a number of genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism as well as in maternal-fetal lipid transport as important for this agriculturally important trait. Additionally, there a basic science related vibe in this study as it may provide some mechanistic explanation to relative success of intrauterine competition of the fetuses in species with larger size of litter [5].