title: Alterations in methylation status of immune response genes promoters in cell-free DNA during a hemodialysis procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Elevations of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations during hemodialysis (HD) sessions were reported in numerous studies regardless of an applied therapeutic protocol. It is generally thought that the elevated concentrations represent the consequence of apoptosis on the dialysis membranes. No data concerning the qualitative characteristics of cfDNAs in HD patients have been published till today; therefore, we focus on the promoter methylation status of genes involved in immune response.
  
  
  METHODS
  We isolated cfDNA from randomly selected patients before and after a HD session and from healthy subjects examined two times per day with 4 h interval. The extent of promoter methylation of 24 genes involved in immune response was examined using the 'EpiTect Methyl qPCR Array Inflammatory Response and Autoimmunity'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our pilot study, we discovered significant changes in methylation patterns of genes IL-7, IL-13, IL-17C and TYK2 between HD patients and healthy subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Methylation of immune response genes promoters may be detected using EpiTect Methyl qPCR Array Inflammatory Response and Autoimmunity at the level of cfDNA to provide the information about the actual state of immune response in HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Charles University, Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Albertov 4, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic. marie.korabecna@lfp.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korabecna
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pazourkova
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horinek
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mokrejsova
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tesar
mesh_terms: D002474:Cell-Free System; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D053634:TYK2 Kinase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D004247:DNA; D053634:TYK2 Kinase; C070139:TYK2 protein, human