Dynamic changes in DNA demethylation in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) brain during postnatal development and aging

Zoological Research

Hai-Rong Hua¹  Fan Li²  Qian-Quan Chen³  Jia-Li Li³  Fei Chen⁴  Shu-Qing Li⁴  Shu Wei⁴  Ying Zhang⁴ 

[1] Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China;School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei Anhui 230027, China;Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming Yunnan 650500, China;Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China;

关键词: Tree shrew;    DNA demethylation;    5-hydroxymethylcytosine;    Brain development and aging;   

DOI  :  10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2017.013

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Brain development and aging are associated with alterations in multiple epigenetic systems, including DNA methylation and demethylation patterns. Here, we observed that the levels of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme-mediated active DNA demethylation products were dynamically changed and involved in postnatal brain development and aging in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). The levels of 5hmC in multiple anatomic structures showed a gradual increase throughout postnatal development, whereas a significant decrease in 5hmC was found in several brain regions in aged tree shrews, including in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, but not the cerebellum. Active changes in Tet mRNA levels indicated that TET2 and TET3 predominantly contributed to the changes in 5hmC levels. Our findings provide new insight into the dynamic changes in 5hmC levels in tree shrew brains during postnatal development and aging processes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown