title: Valproate induces DNA demethylation in nuclear extracts from adult mouse brain.
abstract: The methylation and demethylation of CpG dinucleotides that are embedded in promoters play an important role in controlling gene transcription. In the mammalian brain, CpG promoter methylation is a postreplicative process mediated by a group of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT), such as DNMT1 and DNMT3a, DNMT3b. Several studies demonstrate that in addition to DNMTs, promoter methylation in the brain can be regulated by a putative DNA demethylation process that specifically removes the methyl group from the carbon-5 of cytosines. To test the existence of a possible active DNA demethylation activity in postmitotic neuronal or glial cells, we incubated an SssI methylated mouse reelin (Reln) promoter fragment (-720 to +140) with nuclear extracts from the mouse frontal cortex (FC). We observed the presence of DNA demethylation activity, which was increased in FC nuclear extracts from mice treated with valproate (VPA, 2.2 mmol/kg, twice a day for 3 days). VPA not only reduces anxiety, and cognitive deficits, and other symptoms in bipolar disorder (BP) disorder and schizophrenia (SZ) patients but also upregulates Reln and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (Gad67) mRNA/protein expression by reducing the methylation of their promoters. We believe that the identification of an enzyme in brain that facilitates DNA-demethylation and an understanding of how drugs induce DNA demethylation are crucial to progress in a new line of pharmacological interventions to treat neurodevelopment, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases.
authors: Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA. Edong@psych.uic.edu
authors: Erbo
authors: E
authors: Dong
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: David P
authors: DP
authors: Gavin
authors: Dennis R
authors: DR
authors: Grayson
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Guidotti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000091042:Reelin Protein; D014635:Valproic Acid; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C000717128:Reln protein, mouse; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases