Global DNA Hypomethylation and the Expression Profile of DNA Methyltransferase Genes in Late-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

Abstract

Aim: Infectious organisms tend to cause DNA methylation changes. Thus, this paper aims to study global DNA methylation and the expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) genes in late-onset neonatal sepsis (LONS). Methods: Global and Alu DNA methylation and expression levels of DNMT were performed using 5mc ELISA, methylation-specific PCR and quantitative real-time-PCR, respectively for LONS and controls. Results: Significant hypomethylation of global DNA and Alu DNA methylation and lower expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3a were observed in LONS compared with controls. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of global and Alu DNA methylation showed good discrimination for the identification of LONS. Conclusion: The hypomethylation of global DNA and Alu elements is evident in neonates with LONS. This may be clinically useful for the prognosis of LONS.

Keywords::

• 5-mc ELISA
• Alu repetitive element
• DNA methylation
• DNMT
• Neonatal sepsis
• ROC

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2022-0040

Financial&competing interests disclosure

This study was funded by Intramural Research Grant, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry – 605 006, India (grant no. JIPMER/Neonatology/Intra-PhD/01/2019–20). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Intramural Research Grant, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry – 605 006, India (grant no. JIPMER/Neonatology/Intra-PhD/01/2019–20). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.