Microarray Analysis of E-Box Binding-Related Gene Expression in Young and Replicatively Senescent Human Fibroblasts

An E-box (CACGTG) designer microarray was developed to monitor a group of genes whose expressions share a particular regulatory mode. Sensitivity and specificity of microarray hybridization, as well as variability of microarray data, were evaluated. This designer microarray was used to generate expression profiles of E-box binding-related genes in WI-38 fibroblast cultures at three different growth states: low-passage replicating, low-passage contact-inhibited quiescent, and replicatively senescent. Microarray gene screening reveals that quiescent and senescent cells, in comparison with replicating ones, are characterized by downregulation of Pam, a protein associated with c-Myc, and upregulation of Mad family genes, Max dimerization proteins. Moreover, quiescence and senescence can be distinguished by increased expression of Irlb, c-Myc transcription factor, and Miz-1, c-Myc-interacting Zn finger protein 1, only in the former state. Senescence is characterized by downregulation of Id4, inhibitor of DNA binding 4, and Mitf, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, in comparison with young replicating and quiescent states. Differential expression of genes detected by microarray hybridization was independently confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique. Alterations in the expression of E-box-binding transcription factors and c-Myc-binding proteins demonstrate the importance of these genes in establishing the contact-inhibited quiescent or senescent phenotypes.