title: Functional analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the regulation of coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 expression and plasma homocysteine levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) participates in the synthesis of homocysteine, but whether the genetic variations regulate CARM1 expression and homocysteine levels remains unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional analyses combined with an association study were conducted to identify the causal variant for CARM1 expression and homocysteine levels. Based on functional annotations obtained from Encyclopedia of DNA Elements, we selected 4 potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the CARM1 gene and investigated their effect on CARM1 transcription levels in vivo. rs117569851, located in the promoter region of CARM1, as well as rs12460421 and rs4804544, was associated with CARM1 expression levels, and the last 2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were discovered in high linkage disequilibrium with rs117569851 (r(2)=0.9 and 1.0) in our study sample. rs117569851 was further identified to be responsible for regulating CARM1 expression. The T allele disrupted the binding of early growth response-1, which led to the downregulation of transcriptional activity in vitro and CARM1 mRNA levels in vivo. In addition, rs117569851 was associated with plasma homocysteine levels in a Chinese population (n=406), with a 2.16 μmol/L decrease per copy of T allele.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that a noncoding variant in the CARM1-promoter functions as a regulator of gene transcription and homocysteine levels.
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Xuehui
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Yongchen
authors: Y
authors: Hao
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Laiyuan
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Hongfan
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Xiangfeng
authors: X
authors: Lu
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Cao
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Yongyan
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Xingbo
authors: X
authors: Mo
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu).
authors: Xiaozhong
authors: X
authors: Peng
authors: From the State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Division of Population Genetics, Fuwai Hospital and National Center of Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X. Liu, Y.H., L.W., H.L., X. Lu, J.C., Y.H., X.M., D.G.); State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China (X.P.); and Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, National Human Genome Center at Beijing, Beijing, China (X. Liu). gudongfeng@vip.sina.com.
authors: Dongfeng
authors: D
authors: Gu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006239:Haplotypes; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D006710:Homocysteine; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases; C119966:coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1
keywords: gene expression; genetics; homocysteine; molecular biology