Comparison of gene expression profiles between human and mouse monocyte subsets [human data]

Human and mouse blood each contain two monocyte subsets. Here, we investigated the extent of their similarity using a microarray approach. Approximately 300 genes in human and 550 genes in mouse were differentially expressed between subsets. More than 130 of these gene expression differences were conserved between mouse and human monocyte subsets. We confirmed numerous differences at the cell surface protein level. Despite overall conservation, some molecules were conversely expressed between the two species’ subsets, including CD36, CD9, and TREM-1. Furthermore, other differences existed, including a prominent PPARγ signature in mouse monocytes absent in human. Overall, human and mouse monocyte subsets are far more broadly conserved than currently recognized. Thus, studies in mice may indeed yield relevant information regarding the biology of human monocyte subsets. However, differences between the species deserve consideration in models of human disease studied in the mouse. Keywords: Expression profiling by array