title: Aberrant DNA methylation patterns in diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether global levels of DNA methylation status were associated with albuminuria and progression of diabetic nephropathy in a case-control study of 123 patients with type 2 diabetes- 53 patients with albuminuria and 70 patients without albuminuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 5-methyl cytosine content was assessed by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to determine individual global DNA methylation status in two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Global DNA methylation levels were significantly higher in patients with albuminuria compared with those in normal range of albuminuria (p = 0.01). There were significant differences in global levels of DNA methylation in relation to albuminuria (p = 0.028) and an interesting pattern of increasing global levels of DNA methylation in terms of albuminuria severity. In patients with micro- and macro albuminuria, we found no significant correlations between global DNA methylation levels and duration of diabetes (p > 0.05). In both sub groups, there were not significant differences between global DNA methylation levels with good and poor glycaemic control (p > 0.05). In addition, in patients with albuminuria, no differences in DNA methylation levels were observed between patients with and without other risk factors including age, gender, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data may be helpful in further studies to develop novel biomarkers and new strategies for clinical care of patients at risk of diabetic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute of Tehran University of medical sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zhila
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Maghbooli
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute of Tehran University of medical sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Tehran University of medical sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Solaleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Emamgholipour
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Manochehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute of Tehran University of medical sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keshtkar
authors.affiliation: Clinical Biochemistry Department, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Tehran University of medical sciences, EMRI, 5th floor, Shariati Hospital, North Karegar Avenue, P.O Box: 1411413137, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasalar
keywords: Albuminuria; Diabetic nephropathy; Epigenetic; Global DNA methylation; Type 2 diabetes