title: Relationship between DNA methylation, histone H4 acetylation and gene expression in the mouse imprinted Igf2-H19 domain.
abstract: DNA methylation and histone H4 acetylation play a role in gene regulation by modulating the structure of the chromatin. Recently, these two epigenetic modifications have dynamically and physically been linked. Evidence suggests that both modifications are involved in regulating imprinted genes - a subset of genes whose expression depends on their parental origin. Using immunoprecipitation assays, we investigate the relationship between DNA methylation, histone H4 acetylation and gene expression in the well-characterised imprinted Igf2-H19 domain on mouse chromosome 7. A systematic regional analysis of the acetylation status of the domain shows that parental-specific differences in acetylation of the core histone H4 are present in the promoter regions of both Igf2 and H19 genes, with the expressed alleles being more acetylated than the silent alleles. A correlation between DNA methylation, histone hypoacetylation and gene repression is evident only at the promoter region of the H19 gene. Treatment with trichostatin A, a specific inhibitor of histone deacetylase, reduces the expression of the active maternal H19 allele and this can be correlated with regional changes in acetylation within the upstream regulatory domain. The data suggest that histone H4 acetylation and DNA methylation have distinct functions on the maternal and paternal Igf2-H19 domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grandjean
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sado
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferguson-Smith
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation / Q000187:drug effects; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D018392:Genomic Imprinting / Q000187:drug effects; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; C094335:H19 long non-coding RNA; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006657:Histones; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; C012589:trichostatin A; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D006655:Histone Deacetylases