title: Methylation analysis of EDNRB in human colon tissues of Hirschsprung's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is characterized by absence of the enteric nervous system in a variable portion of the distal gut. The endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) gene has been localized to the chromosome 13q22 region and encodes a G-protein coupled receptor, is generally accepted as a crucial gene for HSCR. This study is to identify the epigenetic changes of EDNRB in the pathogenesis of HSCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the expression levels of EDNRB in 58 HSCR patients and 25 unrelated controls, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot assay. Moreover, using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, we examined the methylation status of the promoter region of EDNRB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aberrant high expression level of EDNRB was detected in HSCR patients compared with the control group (P = 0.023). Besides, western blot assay confirmed the up-regulation of EDNRB in the post transcription level in the aganglionosis segment of HSCR patients. Furthermore, there was a significantly lower ratio of methylation level of EDNRB in HSCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that epigenetic inactivation of the EDNRB gene may play a role in the development of HSCR.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Weibing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qiming
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiaoqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yankai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002681:China; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006627:Hirschsprung Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D044023:Receptor, Endothelin B