Alcohol exposure promotes DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A upregulation through reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: Abundant evidence has accumulated showing that fetal alcohol exposure broadly modifies DNA methylation profiles in the brain. DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), the enzymes responsible for DNA methylation, are likely implicated in this process. However, their regulation by ethanol exposure has been poorly addressed. Here, we show that alcohol exposure modulates DNMT protein levels through multiple mechanisms. Using a neural precursor cell line and primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), we found that ethanol exposure augments the levels of Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b, and Dnmt3l transcripts. We also unveil similar elevation of mRNA levels for other epigenetic actors upon ethanol exposure, among which the induction of lysine demethylase Kdm6a shows heat shock factor dependency. Furthermore, we show tha

SUBMITTER: Miozzo F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5741586 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature