Methylation analysis of multiple genes in blood DNA of Alzheimer's disease and healthy individuals. (23rd July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tannorella, Pierpaola; Stoccoro, Andrea; Tognoni, Gloria; Petrozzi, Lucia; Salluzzo, Maria Grazia; Ragalmuto, Alda; Siciliano, Gabriele; Haslberger, Alexander; Bosco, Paolo; Bonuccelli, Ubaldo; Migliore, Lucia; Coppedè, Fabio
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience letters. Volume 600(2015)
• Page Start: 143
• Page End: 147
• Publication Date: 2015-07-23
• Subjects: DNA methylation -- Alzheimer's disease -- Folate -- Homocysteine -- Vitamin B12 -- PSEN1 -- BACE1 -- MTHFR -- DNMTs -- APOE; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Neuroanatomie -- Périodiques; Neuropharmacologie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 617.48
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.06.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-3940

Abstract

Highlights: We studied DNA methylation levels of six candidate AD genes. No difference in DNA methylation levels between AD and control blood DNA was found. MTHFR methylation levels correlate with biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism. Abstract: We collected blood DNA from 120 late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 115 healthy matched controls and analysed the methylation levels of genes involved in amyloid-beta peptide production ( PSEN1 and BACE1 ), in DNA methylation ( DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B ), and in one-carbon metabolism ( MTHFR ), searching for correlation with age and gender, with biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism (plasma homocysteine, and serum folate and vitamin B12 levels), and with disease status (being healthy or having AD). We also evaluated the contribution of the APOE ϵ4 allele, the major late-onset AD genetic risk factor, to the studied gene methylation levels. All the genes showed low mean methylation levels (<5%) in both AD and control DNA, no difference between groups, and no correlation with the studied biomarkers, except for MTHFR that showed methylation levels ranging from 5% to 75%, and correlation with circulating biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism. However, mean MTHFR methylation levels were similar between groups (31.1% in AD and 30.7% in controls, P = 0.58). Overall, present data suggest that none of the studied regions is differently methylated in blood DNA between AD and control subjects.