Gene signatures in wound tissue as evidenced by molecular profiling in the chicken embryo model

Modern functional genomic approaches may help to better understand the molecular events involved in tissue morphogenesis and to identify molecular signatures and pathways. We have recently applied transcriptomic profiling to evidence molecular signatures in the development of the normal chicken chorioallantoic membrane and in tumor engrafted on the CAM. We have now extended our studies by performing a transcriptome analysis in the wound model of the chicken CAM which is another relevant model of tissue morphogenesis. To induce granulation tissue formation, we performed wounding of the chicken CAM and compared gene expression to normal CAM at the same stage of development. Matched control samples from the same individual were used. We observed a total of 282 genes up-regulated and 44 genes downregulated assuming a false-discovery rate at 5 % and a fold change > 2. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis lead to the identification of several categories that are associated to organismal injury, tissue morphology, cellular movement, inflammatory disease, development and immune system. Endothelial cell data filtering leads to the identification of several new genes with an endothelial cell signature. In summary, the chick chorioallantoic wound model allows the identification of gene signatures involved in granulation tissue formation and neoangiogenesis. This may constitute a fertile ground for further studies.

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Soulet F, Kilarski WW, Antczak P, Herbert J, Bicknell R, Falciani F, Bikfalvi A