The major role of the DNA methylation to inhibit the gene expression is attracting proteins, which contain a methylated DNA binding domain (MBD). MBD-containing proteins provide connections between methylated DNA and histone modifications that induce heterochromatin and suppress the gene expression. It is shown that the DNA methylation has been associated with autoimmunity disorders with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine, which induce autoimmune disease in experimental animals (8). DNA methylation of CpG islands in the promoter region leads to epigenetic gene inactivation by inducing heterochromatin formation (9). Due to the important role of Bcl11b, the first aim was to investigate whether the expression level is associated with susceptibility and clinical features of AS. The next aim was to investigate whether the expression level is related to the DNA methylation of this gene. So, we examined the relationship between DNA methylation of the Bcl11b gene and its gene expression in the AS patients. Furthermore, we evaluate methylation status of CpG sites in the promoter of Bcl11b gene and assess the effect of that on transcriptional level of this
The major role of the DNA methylation to inhibit the gene expression is attracting proteins, which contain a methylated DNA binding domain (MBD). MBD-containing proteins provide connections between methylated DNA and histone modifications that induce heterochromatin and suppress the gene expression. It is shown that the DNA methylation has been associated with autoimmunity disorders with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacytidine, which induce autoimmune disease in experimental animals (8). DNA methylation of CpG islands in the promoter region leads to epigenetic gene inactivation by inducing heterochromatin formation (9). Due to the important role of Bcl11b, the first aim was to investigate whether the expression level is associated with susceptibility and clinical features of AS. The next aim was to investigate whether the expression level is related to the DNA methylation of this gene. So, we examined the relationship between DNA methylation of the Bcl11b gene and its gene expression in the AS patients. Furthermore, we evaluate methylation status of CpG sites in the promoter of Bcl11b gene and assess the effect of that on transcriptional level of this