Methylation status of the interferon-gamma gene promoter in chronic hepatitis B
- Author:
Ruilin CHEN
;
Shumei LIN
;
Feng YE
;
Xi ZHANG
;
Yingren ZHAO
;
Shulin ZHANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
IFN-γ;
peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs);
methylation;
hepatitis B virus;
CpG site
- From:
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis
2008;20(3):206-212
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To evaluate the methylation status at CpG site -55 in the interferon-gamma (IFN-7) gene promoter and its effect on IFN-7 expression in chronic hepatitis B. Method The authors recruited 30 patients with UBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 30 HBeAg-negative CHB patients, and 30 healthy blood donors. Pyrosequeneing was used to determine the methylation status at CpG site -55 in the IFN-γ gene promoter following bisulfite treatment of DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The expression of IFN-γ was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. HBV DNA in PBMCs was detected by nested PCR. Results The methylation level at CpG site -55 in the IFN-γ gene promoter was significantly increased, resulting in subsequent down-regulation of the expression of this cytoldne in CHB. The methylation level at CpG site -55 was significantly higher in HBeAg-positive patients than in HBeAg-negative ones (P<0.01) and was also significantly higher in PBMCs from HBV DNA-positive patients than from HBV DNA-negative ones (P<0.01) ; the methylation level at CpG site -55 was positively correlated with the amount of HBV DNA in serum (P<0.01). Oonclusion IFN-γ gene expression appears to be regulated by methylation of the IFN-γ gene promoter in CHB; the methylation level at CpG site -55 is associated with HBV infection.
