Effect of DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region on hepatic injury induced by homocysteine

AIM: To explore the role of DNA methylation of microRNA-30a-5p(miR-30a-5p) promoter region in hepatic injury. METHODS: Four-week-old normal mice and cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) single gene knockout mice were used and divided into normal (CBS^+/+, n=12) group and single gene knockout (CBS^+/-, n=12) group, and the mice were fed with high methionine diet for 8 weeks. HL-7702 hepatic cells were routinely cultured in vitro and divided into control group, homocysteine (Hcy) group and Hcy+5-azacytidne (AZC) group. Serum Hcy, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The levels of ALT and AST in the cells culture medium were determined by the microplate method. Hepatic injury in the mice were observed with HE staining. Cell viability staining was used to measure the viability of hepatocytes. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues and hepatocytes. The correlation between the expression of miR-30a-5p and serum ALT and AST levels was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. DNA methylation level of miR-30a-5p promoter region in the liver tissues and hepatocytes was detected by nested landing methylation-specific PCR (nMS-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the CBS^+/+ mice, the serum levels of Hcy, ALT and AST in the CBS^+/- mice were significantly increased (P < 0.05). HE staining showed the hepatocyte swelling and nuclear fragmentation and dissolution. The expression level of miR-30a-5p in the liver tissues was decreased (P < 0.01). Besides, the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the mice was negatively correlated with serum ALT and AST levels (r²=0.4557, P=0.0003, r²=0.4626, P=0.0003), and the DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01). In the HL-7702 cells, compared with control group,the ALT and AST levels were increased in Hcy group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the cell viability was remarkablely decreased. DNA methylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region was increased (P < 0.01), which decreased after treated the cells with AZC (P < 0.05), while the expression level of miR-30a-5p in the cells was increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypermethylation of miR-30a-5p promoter region may play an important role in hepatic injury.