title: Developmental changes in DNA methylation around prostatic steroid-binding protein genes.
abstract: The state of DNA methylation around prostatic steroid-binding protein genes has been investigated at CCGG sites by using the restriction enzymes MspI and HpaII. In the ventral prostate, these sites change from being completely methylated around the C1, C2, and one of two C3 genes in 10-day-old animals to being unmethylated in 28-day-old animals. The second C3 gene is always methylated and probably transcriptionally inactive, and all four genes are hypermethylated in other tissues. Hormone withdrawal from mature animals results in methylation of approximately 50% of CCGG sites in the ventral prostate which correlates with an increase in the number of stromal cells relative to epithelial cells. This suggests that the state of DNA methylation in epithelial cells, where prostatic steroid-binding protein is expressed, is unchanged. Thus, the inverse correlation between gene expression and DNA methylation is valid during development but probably not during subsequent hormone withdrawal.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D005796:Genes; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011467:Prostate / Q000254:growth & development*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004247:DNA; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes