DNA Methylation Changes Separate Allergic Patients from Healthy Controls and May Reflect Altered CD4+ T-Cell Population Structure

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004059
• Publication Date: 2014-01-02T16:24:41Z
• Authors: Colm E. Nestor; Fredrik Barrenäs; Hui Wang; Antonio Lentini; Huan Zhang; Sören Bruhn; Rebecka Jörnsten; Michael A. Langston; Gary Rogers; Mika Gustafsson; Mikael Benson
• Keywords: Epigenomics; CpG site

Altered DNA methylation patterns in CD4+ T-cells indicate the importance of epigenetic mechanisms inflammatory diseases. However, identification these alterations is complicated by heterogeneity most Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) an optimal disease model for study because its well-defined phenotype and etiology. We generated genome-wide (Npatients = 8, Ncontrols 8) gene expression 9, 10) profiles from SAR patients healthy controls using Illumina's HumanMethylation450 HT-12 microarrays, respectively. clearly robustly distinguished controls, during outside pollen season. In agreement with previously published studies, same samples failed to separate controls. Separation 12, 12), but not 21, 21) was also observed vitro system which purified PBMCs were challenged allergen. changes proportions memory T-cell populations between 35) (Ncontrols could explain difference methylation. Our data highlight potential epigenomics stratification immune represents first successful molecular classification T cells.