title: Comparative DNA methylation and gene expression analysis identifies novel genes for structural congenital heart diseases.
abstract: For the majority of congenital heart diseases (CHDs), the full complexity of the causative molecular network, which is driven by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors, is yet to be elucidated. Epigenetic alterations are suggested to play a pivotal role in modulating the phenotypic expression of CHDs and their clinical course during life. Candidate approaches implied that DNA methylation might have a developmental role in CHD and contributes to the long-term progress of non-structural cardiac diseases. The aim of the present study is to define the postnatal epigenome of two common cardiac malformations, representing epigenetic memory, and adaption to hemodynamic alterations, which are jointly relevant for the disease course.
  
  
  
  We present the first analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation data obtained from myocardial biopsies of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and ventricular septal defect patients. We defined stringent sets of differentially methylated regions between patients and controls, which are significantly enriched for genomic features like promoters, exons, and cardiac enhancers. For TOF, we linked DNA methylation with genome-wide expression data and found a significant overlap for hypermethylated promoters and down-regulated genes, and vice versa. We validated and replicated the methylation of selected CpGs and performed functional assays. We identified a hypermethylated novel developmental CpG island in the promoter of SCO2 and demonstrate its functional impact. Moreover, we discovered methylation changes co-localized with novel, differential splicing events among sarcomeric genes as well as transcription factor binding sites. Finally, we demonstrated the interaction of differentially methylated and expressed genes in TOF with mutated CHD genes in a molecular network.
  
  
  
  By interrogating DNA methylation and gene expression data, we identify two novel mechanism contributing to the phenotypic expression of CHDs: aberrant methylation of promoter CpG islands and methylation alterations leading to differential splicing.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany Group of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Vertebrate Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Grunert
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany Group of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Vertebrate Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Cornelia
authors: C
authors: Dorn
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Huanhuan
authors: H
authors: Cui
authors: Group of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Vertebrate Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Ilona
authors: I
authors: Dunkel
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Schulz
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Sophia
authors: S
authors: Schoenhals
authors: Laboratory for Functional and Medical Genomics, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, German Heart Institute Berlin and Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Berger
authors: Laboratory for Functional and Medical Genomics, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125 Berlin, Germany Group of Cardiovascular Genetics, Department of Vertebrate Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestraße 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany silke.sperling@charite.de.
authors: Silke R
authors: SR
authors: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D010641:Phenotype; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012326:RNA Splicing; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; C400285:SCO2 protein, human
keywords: Congenital heart disease; DNA methylation; Gene expression; Tetralogy of Fallot; Ventricular septal defect