Dose dependent effect of 5-aza-cytidine on mRNA expression of DNA methyl transferases (DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) in buffalo skin fibroblast cells

Abstract

Epigenetic processes modulate gene expression patterns without modifying primary DNA sequence and have profound effects on the cellular repertoire of expressed genes. DNA methylation, histone modification and genomic imprinting are interrelated forms of epigenetic inheritance. Modulation of chromatin structure through histone methylation, acetylation/deacetylation is known to be one of the major mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression. Most cloned animals have defects in their epigenetic marks, mainly in their particular patterns of DNA methylation and histone modification. The present investigation was undertaken in the cultured buffalo skin fibroblast cells treated with 5-aza-cytidine to study the dose dependent effect of 5-aza-cytidine on mRNA expression of DNA methyl transferases (DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b) and Histone deacetylase (HDAC). Reduction in the expression of DNMT1, HDAC1 was observed in skin fibroblast cell when treated with higher doses of 5-aza-cytidine. However, expression of DNMT3a and DNMT3b mRNA increased with higher doses of the drug.