An investigation of DNA Methylation and roles of the Histone Methyltransferases and Methyl–CpG Binding Protein in Human Cancer through Gene Expression Profiling

Brijesh Lohchania

Volume : V, Issue : II, February - 2016

An investigation of DNA Methylation and roles of the Histone Methyltransferases and Methyl–CpG Binding Protein in Human Cancer through Gene Expression Profiling

Brijesh Lohchania

Abstract :

Background– A growing number of human diseases has been found to be associated with aberrant DNA methylation and correlates with chromatin associated gene silencing. The recruitment of MeCP2 to methylated CpG dinucleotides represents a major mechanism by which DNA methylation can repress transcription. UHRF1 promotes widespread DNA hypomethylation, an epigenetic hallmark of cancer cells. Histone methyltransferases (HMT) catalyze the transfer of methyl groups to Histone proteins. Methodology– Standard & Real Time PCR, SDS–PAGE & Western Blotting Result– The Ct value of genes UHRF1, MeCP2, EHMT1, EHMT2 and EZH2 is slightly higher in Cancerous cells than in normal cells respectively except Ct value of EZH1 is slightly lower in Cancerous cells than in normal cells. Conclusion– From both of the qualitative analysis and the expression level of all these genes analysed viz. MeCP2, UHRF1, EHMT1, EHMT2, EZH1 and EZH2, slightly indicates overexpression of these genes in Cancerous cells than the Normal cells.