Abstract
The immune response to pathogens is regulated by a delicate balance of cytokines. The dysregulation of cytokine gene expression, including interleukin-12, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), following human retrovirus infection is well documented. One process by which such gene expression may be modulated is altered DNA methylation. In subsets of T-helper cells, the expression of IFN-γ, a cytokine important to the immune response to viral infection, is regulated in part by DNA methylation such that mRNA expression inversely correlates with the methylation status of the promoter. Of the many possible genes whose methylation status could be affected by viral infection, we examined the IFN-γ gene as a candidate. We show here that acute infection of cells with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) results in (i) increased DNA methyltransferase expression and activity, (ii) an overall increase in methylation of DNA in infected cells, and (iii) the de novo methylation of a CpG dinucleotide in the IFN-γ gene promoter, resulting in the subsequent downregulation of expression of this cytokine. The introduction of an antisense methyltransferase construct into lymphoid cells resulted in markedly decreased methyltransferase expression, hypomethylation throughout the IFN-γ gene, and increased IFN-γ production, demonstrating a direct link between methyltransferase and IFN-γ gene expression. The ability of increased DNA methyltransferase activity to downregulate the expression of genes like the IFN-γ gene may be one of the mechanisms for dysfunction of T cells in HIV-1-infected individuals.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5166-5177 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Molecular and Cellular Biology |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| State | Published - 1998 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology
Cite this
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 upregulates DNA methyltransferase, resulting in de novo methylation of the gamma interferon (IFN-γ) promoter and subsequent downregulation of IFN-γ production. / Mikovits, Judy A.; Young, Howard A.; Vertino, Paula; Issa, Jean Pierre J; Pitha, Paula M.; Turcoski-Corrales, Susan; Taub, Dennis D.; Petrow, Cari L.; Baylin, Stephen B; Ruscetti, Francis W.
In: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vol. 18, No. 9, 1998, p. 5166-5177.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 upregulates DNA methyltransferase, resulting in de novo methylation of the gamma interferon (IFN-γ) promoter and subsequent downregulation of IFN-γ production
AU - Mikovits, Judy A.
AU - Young, Howard A.
AU - Vertino, Paula
AU - Issa, Jean Pierre J
AU - Pitha, Paula M.
AU - Turcoski-Corrales, Susan
AU - Taub, Dennis D.
AU - Petrow, Cari L.
AU - Baylin, Stephen B
AU - Ruscetti, Francis W.
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - The immune response to pathogens is regulated by a delicate balance of cytokines. The dysregulation of cytokine gene expression, including interleukin-12, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), following human retrovirus infection is well documented. One process by which such gene expression may be modulated is altered DNA methylation. In subsets of T-helper cells, the expression of IFN-γ, a cytokine important to the immune response to viral infection, is regulated in part by DNA methylation such that mRNA expression inversely correlates with the methylation status of the promoter. Of the many possible genes whose methylation status could be affected by viral infection, we examined the IFN-γ gene as a candidate. We show here that acute infection of cells with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) results in (i) increased DNA methyltransferase expression and activity, (ii) an overall increase in methylation of DNA in infected cells, and (iii) the de novo methylation of a CpG dinucleotide in the IFN-γ gene promoter, resulting in the subsequent downregulation of expression of this cytokine. The introduction of an antisense methyltransferase construct into lymphoid cells resulted in markedly decreased methyltransferase expression, hypomethylation throughout the IFN-γ gene, and increased IFN-γ production, demonstrating a direct link between methyltransferase and IFN-γ gene expression. The ability of increased DNA methyltransferase activity to downregulate the expression of genes like the IFN-γ gene may be one of the mechanisms for dysfunction of T cells in HIV-1-infected individuals.
AB - The immune response to pathogens is regulated by a delicate balance of cytokines. The dysregulation of cytokine gene expression, including interleukin-12, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), following human retrovirus infection is well documented. One process by which such gene expression may be modulated is altered DNA methylation. In subsets of T-helper cells, the expression of IFN-γ, a cytokine important to the immune response to viral infection, is regulated in part by DNA methylation such that mRNA expression inversely correlates with the methylation status of the promoter. Of the many possible genes whose methylation status could be affected by viral infection, we examined the IFN-γ gene as a candidate. We show here that acute infection of cells with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) results in (i) increased DNA methyltransferase expression and activity, (ii) an overall increase in methylation of DNA in infected cells, and (iii) the de novo methylation of a CpG dinucleotide in the IFN-γ gene promoter, resulting in the subsequent downregulation of expression of this cytokine. The introduction of an antisense methyltransferase construct into lymphoid cells resulted in markedly decreased methyltransferase expression, hypomethylation throughout the IFN-γ gene, and increased IFN-γ production, demonstrating a direct link between methyltransferase and IFN-γ gene expression. The ability of increased DNA methyltransferase activity to downregulate the expression of genes like the IFN-γ gene may be one of the mechanisms for dysfunction of T cells in HIV-1-infected individuals.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031811880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031811880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 9710601
AN - SCOPUS:0031811880
VL - 18
SP - 5166
EP - 5177
JO - Molecular and Cellular Biology
JF - Molecular and Cellular Biology
SN - 0270-7306
IS - 9
ER -