Circadian alterations during early stages of Alzheimer's disease are associated with aberrant cycles of DNA methylation in BMAL1.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Circadian alterations are prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may contribute to cognitive impairment, behavioral symptoms, and neurodegeneration. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate the circadian clock, and changes in DNA methylation have been reported in AD brains, but the pathways that mediate circadian deregulation in AD are incompletely understood. We hypothesized that aberrant DNA methylation may affect circadian rhythms in AD.

Methods

We investigated DNA methylation, transcription, and expression of BMAL1, a positive regulator of the circadian clock, in cultured fibroblasts and brain samples from two independent cohorts of aging and AD.

Results

DNA methylation modulated rhythmic expression of clock genes in cultured fibroblasts. Moreover, rhythmic

SUBMITTER: Cronin P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5785929 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature