Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Correlation between DNA methylation and murine IFN-gamma and IL-4 expression.

P R Falek1, S Z Ben-Sasson, M Ariel

  • 1Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

Cytokine
|March 8, 2000
PubMed
Summary

DNA methylation does not regulate distinct lymphokine production in T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Methylation patterns of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) genes in various cells indicate no differential demethylation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

IL-1β strikingly enhances antigen-driven CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses.

Cold Spring Harbor symposia on quantitative biology·2013
Same author

Role of the trochlear nerve in eye abduction and frontal vision of the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans).

The Journal of comparative neurology·2013
Same author

IL-1 acts on T cells to enhance the magnitude of in vivo immune responses.

Cytokine·2011
Same author

IL-6 increases primed cell expansion and survival.

Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)·2005
Same author

Quantitative analysis of granule cell axons and climbing fiber afferents in the turtle cerebellar cortex.

Anatomy and embryology·2004
Same author

A PCR-based method for studying DNA methylation.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2003
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • T helper (Th) cells differentiate into Th1 and Th2 subtypes, each producing distinct sets of lymphokines.
  • Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is a key Th1 cytokine, while interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a hallmark Th2 cytokine.
  • DNA methylation is a known epigenetic mechanism that can regulate gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of DNA methylation in the differential expression of IFN-γ and IL-4 genes in Th1 and Th2 cells.
  • To determine if demethylation of these genes correlates with their restricted production patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of DNA methylation status at CpG dinucleotides within the IFN-γ and IL-4 genes.
  • Examination of gene bodies and promoter regions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of methylation patterns across various cell types including activated Th0, Th1, Th2 cells, naive T cells, B cells, non-T/non-B cells, thymocytes, and liver cells.

    • Main Results:

    • The gene bodies of both IL-4 and IFN-γ were fully methylated in all cell types examined.
    • The IL-4 promoter region was uniformly methylated across all cell types.
    • The IFN-γ promoter showed unmethylation at specific CpG sites in all T cell populations, but was methylated in B cells, non-T/non-B cells, and liver cells.

    Conclusions:

    • Differential demethylation of the IFN-γ and IL-4 genes is not the mechanism underlying their mutually exclusive expression in Th1 and Th2 cells.
    • Epigenetic regulation of lymphokine production in T helper cells likely involves mechanisms other than promoter demethylation of these specific genes.