Vitamin D receptor gene methylation is associated with ethnicity, tuberculosis, and TaqI polymorphism.

ABSTRACT: The Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene encodes a transcription factor which, on activation by vitamin D, modulates diverse biologic processes, including calcium homeostasis and immune function. Genetic variation involving VDR shows striking differences in allele frequency between populations and has been associated with disease susceptibility, including tuberculosis and autoimmunity, although results have often been conflicting. We hypothesized that methylation of VDR may be population specific and that the combination of differential methylation and genetic variation may characterize tuberculosis (TB) predisposition. We use bisulfite conversion and/or pyrosequencing to analyze the methylation status of 17 CpGs of VDR and to genotype 7 SNPs in the 3' CpG Island (CpG island [CGI] 1060), includin

SUBMITTER: Andraos C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3955023 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature