Transcriptomic and neurochemical analysis of the stellate ganglia in mice highlights sex differences

The stellate ganglia are the predominant source of sympathetic innervation to the heart. Remodeling of the nerves projecting to the heart has been observed in several cardiovascular diseases, however studies of adult stellate ganglia are limited. A profile of the baseline transcriptomic and neurochemical characteristics of the stellate ganglia in adult C57Bl6j mice, a common model for the study of cardiovascular diseases, may aid future investigations. We have generated a dataset of baseline measurements of mouse stellate ganglia using RNAseq, HPLC and mass spectrometry. Expression differences between male and female mice were identified. These differences included physiologically important genes for growth factors, receptors and ion channels. While the neurochemical profiles of male and female stellate ganglia were not different, minor differences in neurotransmitter content were identified in heart tissue.