Promoter-Specific Hypomethylation Correlates with IL-1β Overexpression in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC)

A Fuso, A M Iyer, J van Scheppingen, M Maccarrone, T Scholl, J A Hainfellner, M Feucht, F E Jansen, W G Spliet, P Krsek, J Zamecnik, A Mühlebner, E Aronica

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Abstract

In tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), overexpression of numerous genes associated with inflammation has been observed. Among different proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has been shown to be significantly involved in epileptogenesis and maintenance of seizures. Recent evidence indicates that IL-1β gene expression can be regulated by DNA methylation of its promoter. In the present study, we hypothesized that hypomethylation in the promoter region of the IL-1β gene may underlie its overexpression observed in TSC brain tissue. Bisulfite sequencing was used to study the methylation status of the promoter region of the IL-1β gene in TSC and control samples. We identified hypomethylation in the promoter region of the IL-1β gene in TSC samples. IL-1β is overexpressed in tubers, and gene expression is correlated with promoter hypomethylation at CpG and non-CpG sites. Our results provide the first evidence of epigenetic modulation of the IL-1β signaling in TSC. Thus, strategies that target epigenetic alterations could offer new therapeutic avenues to control the persistent activation of interleukin-1β-mediated inflammatory signaling in TSC brain.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)464-470
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of molecular neuroscience
Volume59
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Apr 2016

Keywords

  • Cortical tuber
  • Epigenetic regulation
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukin-1β
  • Tuberous sclerosis complex

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