title: Promoter Hypermethylation of GATA3, IL-4, and TGF-β Confers Susceptibility to Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease in Han Chinese.
abstract: We investigated the role of promoter methylation of transcriptional and inflammatory factors, including TBX21, GATA3, RORγt, FOXP3, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17A, and TGF-β in the development of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.
  
  
  
  The promoter methylation levels were detected by the Sequenom MassARRAY system in CD4+ T cells that were separated from 20 healthy individuals and 32 VKH patients (20 in the active stage without medication, 12 in inactive stage with medication). The mRNA expression level of GATA3, IL-4, and TGF-β in CD4+ T cells was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR.
  
  
  
  The promoter methylation levels of GATA3, IL-4, and TGF-β were significantly higher in active VKH patients than in healthy individuals (P < 0.05). A decreased mRNA expression of GATA3 and TGF-β was found in active VKH patients, which was correlated negatively with the DNA methylation of these factors. Treatment with systemic corticosteroid and cyclosporin A (CsA) decreased the methylation level of GATA3 and TGF-β in association with an increased mRNA expression of molecules and reduced disease activity.
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that promoter hypermethylation of GATA3 and TGF-β in CD4+ T cells confers risk to VKH disease in Han Chinese.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yunyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Hongsong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yiguo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Zi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Wencheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Qingfeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Gangxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aize
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kijlstra
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Peizeng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014607:Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D015847:Interleukin-4