[Effect of dexamethasone and arecoline on the 5-methylcytosine and pyrimidine blocks in the DNA of certain sections of the brain, the liver and the spleen of rats].
In DNA of rat brain and liver tissues content of 5-methylcytosine increased by about 25 percent after dexamethasone administration; arecholine decreased content of 5-methylcytosine by about 20 percent. No other essential changes (GC content, amount of different pyrimidine isoplits) were found in these DNA. These data suggested that changes in 5-methylcytosine content in DNA studied were due to difference in DNA methylation rather than to alteration in DNA molecular population. The changes in DNA methylation, induced by the hormone or the alkaloid, were tissue-specific (brain, liver but not spleen). The level of DNA methylation was different in various parts of brain and correlated with the functional activity of the corresponding cells or genes. The alterations in DNA methylation, induced by the hormone or by the alkaloid, corresponded to changes in RNA synthesis. Thus, DNA methylation may be one of possible control mechanisms of transcription.
D000818:Animals; D001115:Arecoline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002848:Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; D002854:Chromatography, Paper; D002946:Cisterna Magna; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007267:Injections; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000032:analysis; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D009711:Nucleotides; D011743:Pyrimidines; D001115:Arecoline; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003596:Cytosine; D004247:DNA
Vliianie deksametazona i arekolina na soderzhanie 5-metiltsitozina i pirimidinovykh blokov v DNK nekotorykh otdelov mozga, pecheni i