title: Destabilization of the human epigenome: consequences of foreign DNA insertions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We previously reported changes of DNA methylation and transcription patterns in mammalian cells that carry integrated foreign DNA. Experiments were now designed to assess the epigenetic consequences of inserting a 5.6 kbp plasmid into the human genome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differential transcription and CpG methylation patterns were compared between transgenomic and nontransgenomic cell clones by using gene chip microarray systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 4.7% of the 28.869 gene segments analyzed, transcriptional activities were up- or downregulated in the transgenomic cell clones. Genome-wide profiling revealed differential methylation in 3791 of > 480,000 CpG's examined in transgenomic versus nontransgenomic clones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data document genome-wide effects of foreign DNA insertions on the epigenetic stability of human cells. Many fields in experimental biology and medicine employ transgenomic or otherwise genome-manipulated cells or organisms without considering the epigenetic consequences for the recipient genomes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical & Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Life & Brain Center, Bonn University, D-53127 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Life & Brain Center, Bonn University, D-53127 Bonn, Germany.|Division of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herms
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Life & Brain Center, Bonn University, D-53127 Bonn, Germany.|Division of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Basel, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical & Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.|Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, D-50674 Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Doerfler
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D057890:Epigenomics / Q000379:methods*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: DNA methylation; destabilization; differential gene expression; differential methylation; epigenetics; foreign DNA; transgenomes