Extreme methylation values of imprinted genes in human abortions and stillbirths.

ABSTRACT: Imprinted genes play an important role in fetal and placental development. Using quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing assays, we determined the DNA methylation levels at two paternally methylated (H19 and MEG3) and four maternally methylated (LIT1, NESP55, PEG3, and SNRPN) imprinted regions in fetal muscle samples from abortions and stillbirths. Two of 55 (4%) spontaneous abortions and 10 of 57 (18%) stillbirths displayed hypermethylation in multiple genes. Interestingly, none of 34 induced abortions had extreme methylation values in multiple genes. All but two abortions/stillbirths with multiple methylation abnormalities were male, indicating that the male embryo may be more susceptible to excess methylation. Hypermethylation of multiple imprinted genes is consistent with stochastic fail

SUBMITTER: Pliushch G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2832130 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature