Association between cytokines and methylation of SOCS-1 in serum of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

作者：Lai Ning Sheng; Chou Jian Liang; Chen Gary C W; Liu Su Qin; Lu Ming Chi; Chan Michael W Y^*

来源：Molecular Biology Reports, 2014, 41(6): 3773-3780.

DOI：10.1007/s11033-014-3242-2

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Epigenetics
• SOCS-1 methylation

In this study, we aim to determine the relationship between methylation level of an inflammatory-related gene, SOCS-1 in serum samples of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their degree of inflammation as well as serum cytokine level. Quantitative real time methylation specific PCR was performed to examine the promoter methylation of SOCS-1 in serum samples of 43 HLA-B27+ AS patients and 6 B27+ healthy controls. Degree of inflammation was accessed by spondylopathy, sacroiliitis as well as acute phase reactant, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein (CRP). Serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha level was determined by ELISA assay. SOCS-1 methylation can only be found in serums samples from patients but not normal control. Methylation of SOCS-1 significantly associated with severity of patient%26apos;s spondylopathy (P %26lt; 0.005), sacroiliitis (P %26lt; 0.005) and acute phase reactant CRP (P = 0.0278). AS patients also exhibited higher serum IL-6 (P %26lt; 0.001) and TNF-alpha level (P %26lt; 0.001). Importantly, patients with high serum IL-6 or TNF-alpha level demonstrated a significantly higher SOCS-1 methylation (P %26lt; 0.001). In conclusion, this proof-of-principle study suggested that methylation of SOCS-1 can be detected in serum of HLA-B27+ AS patients but not in B27+ controls. The pathogenic potential of SOCS-1 methylation in AS deserves further investigation.

• 出版日期2014-6