title: [Hypomethylation of TNF-alpha gene promoter in the patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to investigate the possible epigenetic alteration in the promoter of TNF-alpha in the patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF).
  
  
  METHODS
  The methylation of TNF-alpha promoter in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured by methylation specific PCR (MSP). The level of serum TNF-alpha was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) was performed for the evaluation of liver failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum level of TNF-alpha in patients with ACHBLF(44.9260 +/- 26.48523) was higher than that in CHB (18.92505 +/- 9.04461) and healthy controls (11.9172 +/- 5.04612) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the serum TNF-alpha level was significantly decreased in methylation group as compared to unmethylaiton group in patients with ACHBLF (P < 0.05). MELD was not significantly different between methylated and unmethylated group of ACHBLF patients (P > 0.05). In addition, the serum level of TNF-alpha was found to be positively correlated with serum total bilirubin (r = 0.891, P < 0.01) and MELD score (r = 0.792, P < 0.01), but to be negatively correlated with prothrombin activity (r = - 0.511, P < 0.05) in patients with ACHBLF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TNF-alpha methylation patten is stable for the liver failure, suggesting the effect of environment on methylation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Disease of Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Li-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zhao-Yang
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha