p21Waf1/Cip1 plays a critical role in modulating senescence through changes of DNA methylation.
It has been reported that genomic DNA methylation decreases gradually during cell culture and an organism's aging. However, less is known about the methylation changes of age-related specific genes in aging. p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p16(INK4a) are cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors that are critical for the replicative senescence of normal cells. In this study, we show that p21(Waf1/Cip1) and p16(INK4a) have different methylation patterns during the aging process of normal human 2BS and WI-38 fibroblasts. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter is gradually methylated up into middle-aged fibroblasts but not with senescent fibroblasts, whereas p16(INK4a) is always unmethylated in the aging process. Correspondently, the protein levels of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and DNMT3a increase from young to middle-aged fibroblasts but decrease in the senescent fibroblasts, while DNMT3b decreases stably from young to senescent fibroblasts. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter methylation directly represses its expression and blocks the radiation-induced DNA damage-signaling pathway by p53 in middle-aged fibroblasts. More importantly, demethylation by 5-aza-CdR or DNMT1 RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in an increased p21(Waf1/Cip1) level and premature senescence of middle-aged fibroblasts demonstrated by cell growth arrest and high beta-Galactosidase expression. Our results suggest that p21(Waf1/Cip1) but not p16(INK4a) is involved in the DNA methylation mediated aging process. p21(Waf1/Cip1) promoter methylation may be a critical biological barrier to postpone the aging process.
Zheng
Quan Hui
QH
Peking University Research Center on Aging, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China.
Ma
Li Wei
LW
Zhu
Wei Guo
WG
Zhang
Zong Yu
ZY
Tong
Tan Jun
TJ
D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000235:genetics; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D000090205:DNA Methyltransferase 3A; D000077209:Decitabine; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000528:radiation effects
C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; C000717967:DNMT3A protein, human; D000077209:Decitabine; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D000090205:DNA Methyltransferase 3A; C000619380:DNMT1 protein, human; D001374:Azacitidine