Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.

PURPOSE:Fibrosis and a hypoxic environment are associated with the trabecular meshwork (TM) region in the blinding disease glaucoma. Hypoxia has been shown to alter DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism involved in regulating gene expression such as the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor (TG...

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Main Authors: Fiona McDonnell, Mustapha Irnaten, Abbot F Clark, Colm J O'Brien, Deborah M Wallace
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4849706?pdf=render
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author Fiona McDonnell
Mustapha Irnaten
Abbot F Clark
Colm J O'Brien
Deborah M Wallace
author_facet Fiona McDonnell
Mustapha Irnaten
Abbot F Clark
Colm J O'Brien
Deborah M Wallace
author_sort Fiona McDonnell
collection DOAJ
description PURPOSE:Fibrosis and a hypoxic environment are associated with the trabecular meshwork (TM) region in the blinding disease glaucoma. Hypoxia has been shown to alter DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism involved in regulating gene expression such as the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor (TGF) β1 and the anti-fibrotic Ras protein activator like 1 (RASAL1). The purpose of this study was to compare DNA methylation levels, and the expression of TGFβ1 and RASAL1 in primary human normal (NTM) with glaucomatous (GTM) cells and in NTM cells under hypoxic conditions. METHODS:Global DNA methylation was assessed by ELISA in cultured age-matched NTM and GTM cells. qPCR was conducted for TGFβ1, collagen 1α1 (COL1A1), and RASAL1 expression. Western immunoblotting was used to determine protein expression. For hypoxia experiments, NTM cells were cultured in a 1%O2, 5%CO2 and 37°C environment. NTM and GTM cells were treated with TGFβ1 (10ng/ml) and the methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5-aza) (0.5μM) respectively to determine their effects on DNA Methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and RASAL1 expression. RESULTS:We found increased DNA methylation, increased TGFβ1 expression and decreased RASAL1 expression in GTM cells compared to NTM cells. Similar results were obtained in NTM cells under hypoxic conditions. TGFβ1 treatment increased DNMT1 and COL1A1, and decreased RASAL1 expression in NTM cells. 5-aza treatment decreased DNMT1, TGFβ1 and COL1A1 expression, and increased RASAL1 expression in GTM cells. CONCLUSIONS:TGFβ1 and RASAL1 expression, global DNA methylation, and expression of associated methylation enzymes were altered between NTM and GTM cells. We found that hypoxia in NTM cells induced similar results to the GTM cells. Furthermore, DNA methylation, TGFβ1 and RASAL1 appear to have an interacting relationship that may play a role in driving pro-fibrotic disease progression in the glaucomatous TM.
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spelling doaj.art-e999b8c005c44e0083f97a7fc2cb09002022-12-22T01:17:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01114e015335410.1371/journal.pone.0153354Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.Fiona McDonnellMustapha IrnatenAbbot F ClarkColm J O'BrienDeborah M WallacePURPOSE:Fibrosis and a hypoxic environment are associated with the trabecular meshwork (TM) region in the blinding disease glaucoma. Hypoxia has been shown to alter DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism involved in regulating gene expression such as the pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor (TGF) β1 and the anti-fibrotic Ras protein activator like 1 (RASAL1). The purpose of this study was to compare DNA methylation levels, and the expression of TGFβ1 and RASAL1 in primary human normal (NTM) with glaucomatous (GTM) cells and in NTM cells under hypoxic conditions. METHODS:Global DNA methylation was assessed by ELISA in cultured age-matched NTM and GTM cells. qPCR was conducted for TGFβ1, collagen 1α1 (COL1A1), and RASAL1 expression. Western immunoblotting was used to determine protein expression. For hypoxia experiments, NTM cells were cultured in a 1%O2, 5%CO2 and 37°C environment. NTM and GTM cells were treated with TGFβ1 (10ng/ml) and the methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5-aza) (0.5μM) respectively to determine their effects on DNA Methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and RASAL1 expression. RESULTS:We found increased DNA methylation, increased TGFβ1 expression and decreased RASAL1 expression in GTM cells compared to NTM cells. Similar results were obtained in NTM cells under hypoxic conditions. TGFβ1 treatment increased DNMT1 and COL1A1, and decreased RASAL1 expression in NTM cells. 5-aza treatment decreased DNMT1, TGFβ1 and COL1A1 expression, and increased RASAL1 expression in GTM cells. CONCLUSIONS:TGFβ1 and RASAL1 expression, global DNA methylation, and expression of associated methylation enzymes were altered between NTM and GTM cells. We found that hypoxia in NTM cells induced similar results to the GTM cells. Furthermore, DNA methylation, TGFβ1 and RASAL1 appear to have an interacting relationship that may play a role in driving pro-fibrotic disease progression in the glaucomatous TM.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4849706?pdf=render
spellingShingle Fiona McDonnell
Mustapha Irnaten
Abbot F Clark
Colm J O'Brien
Deborah M Wallace
Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
PLoS ONE
title Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
title_full Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
title_fullStr Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
title_full_unstemmed Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
title_short Hypoxia-Induced Changes in DNA Methylation Alter RASAL1 and TGFβ1 Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells.
title_sort hypoxia induced changes in dna methylation alter rasal1 and tgfβ1 expression in human trabecular meshwork cells
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4849706?pdf=render
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