Abstract:
Migraine disorder is a debilitating neurological condition affecting 16-22% of the population. Migraines are severe unilateral headaches often accompanied by phonophobia and photophobia, and triggered by stress and some food compounds. Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide, which is encoded by the gene CALCA, is a neuropeptide involved in the propagation of the migraine. The purpose of this study was to identify reference genes in CA77 cells that could be used to normalize qRT-PCR data for the study of CGRP expression after exposure to various food-derived compounds. CA77 cells were exposed to treatments expected to either upregulate or down regulate CGRP expression. RNA samples were extracted, quantified, and converted to cDNA. qPCR data were analyzed using NormFinder to determine the most suitable reference gene(s) or combinations. The combination of ACTB and GAPDH was found most suitable for use as the references genes in CA77 cells utilized for qRT-PCR studies of CGRP expression after exposure to various food-derived compounds.
