Epigenetic regulation of developmental expression of Cyp2d genes in mouse liver

CYP2D6 expression in liver is age-dependent. Because epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, modulate age-related gene expression during development, and are highly conserved among species, the current study examined the epigenetic regulation of age-related expression of the Cyp2d genes in mouse liver. DNA methylation (DNAme), histone 3 lysine 4 dimethylation (H3K4me2), and histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) was established by ChIP-on-chip tiling microarrays from mouse livers at prenatal, neonatal, and adult stages. Levels of DNAme, H3K4me2, and H3K27me3 were analyzed in a genomic region containing the Cyp2d clustering genes and their surrounding genes. Gradually increased expression levels of the Cyp2d9, Cyp2d10, Cyp2d22, and Cyp2d26 genes from prenatal, through neonatal, to adult are associated with gradually increased levels of H3K4me2 in the nucleosomes associated with these genes. Gene expression patterns during liver development in several Cyp2d surrounding genes, such as Srebf2, Sept3, Ndufa6, Tcf2, Nfam1, and Cyb5r3, could be also explained by changes of DNA methylation, H3K4me2, or H3K27me3 in those genes. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that the changes of DNA methylation and histone modifications are associated with age-related expression patterns of the Cyp2d genes and their surrounding genes in liver cells during development.