Julie Dutil

Accelerated congenics for mapping two blood pressure quantitative trait loci on chromosome 10 of Dahl rats.

Objective To localize quantitative trait loci (QTL) in an animal model that is potentially relevant to human hypertension. Design and methods Four congenic strains have been constructed by replacing various segments of the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat by those of the Lewis (LEW) rat. A marker-assisted approach was employed to facilitate this process. When these congenic strains were established, their blood pressures (BPs) were measured by telemetry and compared with that of the S rat. Moreover, a search was conducted to find possible intermediate phenotypes linking the BP effects of the QTL and other physiological traits. Results Two BP QTL, designated as QTL1 and QTL2, have been mapped to the regions of 4.2 centiMorgans (cM) and less than 12.1 cM respectively on rat chromosome 10. The effects of both QTL correlate with cardiac, left ventricular and aortic hypertrophy. The effect of QTL1 is also associated with renal hypertrophy. Conclusion The current study proved that multiple QTL exist in the region of Dahl rat chromosome 10. The identification of these QTL may help unravel the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of certain QTL in humans.

Multiple Quantitative Trait Loci for Blood Pressure Interacting Epistatically and Additively on Dahl Rat Chromosome 2

Our previous work demonstrated 2 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), C2QTL1 and C2QTL2, for blood pressure (BP) located on chromosome (Chr) 2 of Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) rats. However, for a lack of markers, the 2 congenic strains delineating C2QTL1 and C2QTL2 could not be separated. The position of the C2QTL1 was only inferred by comparing 2 congenic strains, one having and another lacking a BP effect. Furthermore, it was not known how adjacent QTLs would interact with one another on Chr 2. In the current investigation, first, a critical chromosome marker was developed to separate 2 C2QTLs. Second, a congenic substrain was created to cover a chromosome fragment thought to harbor C2QTL1. Finally, a series of congenic strains was produced to systematically and comprehensively cover the entire Chr 2 segment containing C2QTL2 and other regions previously untested. Consequently, a total of 3 QTLs were discovered, with C2QTL3 located between C2QTL1 and C2QTL2. C2QTL1, C2QTL2, and C2QTL3 reside in chromosome segments of 5.7 centiMorgan (cM), 3.5 cM, and 1.5 cM, respectively. C2QTL1 interacted epistatically with either C2QTL2 or C2QTL3, whereas C2QTL2 and C2QTL3 showed additive effects to each other. These results suggest that BP QTLs closely linked in a segment interact epistatically and additively to one another on Chr 2.

Comprehensive Congenic Coverage Revealing Multiple Blood Pressure Quantitative Trait Loci on Dahl Rat Chromosome 10

Abstract—Chromosome mapping based on congenic strains can restrict quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for blood pressure (BP) into small intervals that are otherwise indistinguishable in linkage analysis. Also, congenic strains can be created to test a candidate gene to be a BP QTL. Taking full advantage of these features, we produced 10 congenic strains by replacing various segments of chromosome (Chr) 10 of the Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) rat with those of the Lewis (LEW) rat. These strains were made to systematically cover an entire section of Chr 10. Three of the strains were designed to narrow the intervals that harbor previously mapped QTL1 and QTL2. Two of the strains were designed for the express purpose of testing the QTL candidacy of loci for inducible nitric oxide synthase (Nos2) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (Ace) genes. BPs of these strains were measured by telemetry and compared with those of the DSS rat. Consequently, QTL1 and QTL2 were narrowed to segments of 53.5 and 100.4 centiRays, respectively. A new QTL, QTL3, was found between QTL1 and QTL2. Both Nos2 and Ace have been disqualified as QTLs in the DSS and LEW comparison. Therefore, there are no obvious candidate genes in the segments that harbor these 3 QTLs, which represent genes previously not thought to be involved in BP regulation. These QTLs will likely have an influence on studies of human hypertension because of their homology with the human CHR 17 region in which QTLs for BP have been found.

Mapping a blood pressure quantitative trait locus to a 5.7-cM region in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

Abstract. A region on rat Chromosome (Chr) 2 of the Dahl salt-sensitive rat (S) was shown previously to contain a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for blood pressure (BP). This was achieved first by linkage, followed by the use of congenic strains. A congenic strain, designated S.MNS-D2Mit6/Adh, contained a segment of Chr 2 from the Milan Normotensive (MNS) rat in the S genetic background. Since the region containing the QTL was roughly 80 cM in size, a further reduction was needed towards the positional or candidate gene cloning. Currently, two congenic substrains were made from the original strain S.MNS-D2Mit6/Adh. One of these two substrains showed a BP-lowering effect, whereas the other substrain did not. Deducing the segment not shared in the two substrains, the BP QTL has to be present in a chromosome region of roughly 5.7 cM between the marker D2Rat303 and the locus for the neutroendopeptidase gene (Nep). Nep is not included within the segment. This region does not seem to contain any candidate genes well known for the BP control. Thus, the final identification of the QTL will most likely lead to the discovery of a brand new gene for the BP regulation.

Action in Childcare Settings training programme: Development of an evidence-based training programme for the prevention of child maltreatment

The intervention is a train-the-trainer programme for childcare practitioners aimed at preventing the maltreatment of young children in Québec. The content of the programme was determined based on systematic reviews of published evidence on the issue. A number of training sessions were subsequently offered to practitioners in the targeted settings and rigorously evaluated. Lessons learned included: the importance of a needs assessment for adequate knowledge transfer to end users; train-the-trainers programmes are effective for transferring evidence to large groups; and training participants’ perception of the value of evidence depends on the confidence inspired by those who transmit it.