Epigenetic and genetic variation at the IGF2/H19 imprinting control region on 11p15.5 is associated with cerebellum weight

Epigenetics. 2012 Feb;7(2):155-63. doi: 10.4161/epi.7.2.18910.

Abstract

IGF2 is a paternally expressed imprinted gene with an important role in development and brain function. Allele-specific expression of IGF2 is regulated by DNA methylation at three differentially methylated regions (DMRs) spanning the IGF2/H19 domain on human 11p15.5. We have comprehensively assessed DNA methylation and genotype across the three DMRs and the H19 promoter using tissue from a unique collection of well-characterized and neuropathologically-dissected post-mortem human cerebellum samples (n = 106) and frontal cortex samples (n = 51). We show that DNA methylation, particularly in the vicinity of a key CTCF-binding site (CTCF3) in the imprinting control region (ICR) upstream of H19, is strongly correlated with cerebellum weight. DNA methylation at CTCF3 uniquely explains ~25% of the variance in cerebellum weight. In addition, we report that genetic variation in this ICR is strongly associated with cerebellum weight in a parental-origin specific manner, with maternally-inherited alleles associated with a 16% increase in cerebellum weight compared with paternally-inherited alleles. Given the link between structural brain abnormalities and neuropsychiatric disease, an understanding of the epigenetic and parent-of-origin specific genetic factors associated with brain morphology provides important clues about the etiology of disorders such as schizophrenia and autism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Cerebellum / anatomy & histology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / genetics*
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Female
  • Genetic Loci / genetics
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genomic Imprinting / genetics*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / genetics*
  • Male
  • Organ Size / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Untranslated / genetics*

Substances

  • H19 long non-coding RNA
  • IGF2 protein, human
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II