Methylation of cytokines gene promoters in IL-1β-treated human intestinal epithelial cells.

Objective and design: Epigenetic regulation is important in the activation of inflammatory cells. In the present study, we evaluated if DNA-methylation variations are involved in Interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced intestinal epithelial cells activation.Materials and methods: Differentiated Caco-2 cells were exposed to IL-1β or to 5-azadeoxycytidine (5-azadC) for 24 or 48 h. Genome-wide methylation status was evaluated, while DNA methylation status at the promoter region of the gene encoding interleukin-6, 8 and 10 (IL-6, 8 and 10) was estimated. The levels of the corresponding gene products as well as DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) quantity were assessed.Results: IL-1β decreased genomic methylation of human intestinal epithelial cells and induced demethylation at cg-specific sites at the promoter of pro-inflammatory genes <italic>IL6</italic> and <italic>IL8</italic>; conversely it did not change the methylation of the <italic>IL10</italic> promoter. IL-1β also increased the release of IL-6 and IL-8 but did not change the IL-10 expression. Finally, cell exposure to IL-1β decreased the DNMT3b expression, increased DNMT3a and was not able to change DNMT1 expression.Conclusions: Our results suggest a potential role of IL-1β as modulator of DNA methylation in activated differentiated Caco-2 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]