Neuronal activation modulates enhancer activity of genes for excitatory synaptogenesis through de novo DNA methylation.

ABSTRACT: Post-mitotic neurons do exhibit DNA methylation changes, contrary to the longstanding belief that the epigenetic pattern in terminally differentiated cells is essentially unchanged. While the mechanism and physiological significance of DNA demethylation in neurons have been extensively elucidated, the occurrence of de novo DNA methylation and its impacts have been much less investigated. In the present study, we showed that neuronal activation induces de novo DNA methylation at enhancer regions, which can repress target genes in primary cultured hippocampal neurons. The functional significance of this de novo DNA methylation was underpinned by the demonstration that inhibition of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity decreased neuronal activity-induced excitatory synaptogenesis. Overexpres

SUBMITTER: Kameda T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8668374 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature