Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Induces DNA Demethylation of Pluripotency Genes in Bovine Differentiated Cells

Cell Reprogram. 2016 Oct;18(5):298-308. doi: 10.1089/cell.2015.0076. Epub 2016 Aug 19.

Abstract

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is the only enzyme that has been suggested as a putative DNA demethylase in mammals. However, very little is known about AID function as DNA demethylase of bovine differentiated cells toward pluripotent state. To investigate the effect of AID on DNA demethylation, bovine AID complementary DNAs were transfected into bovine differentiated cells, which were mostly methylated in the promoter regions of pluripotency genes. As a result, AID-transfected bovine cells started to transform into colonies at day 19 of transfection. The colonies derived from the transfected cells showed positive alkaline phosphatase (AP) staining and expression of pluripotency genes (OCT-3/4, NANOG, SOX2) and pluripotency-related antigens (SSEA-4, TRA1-60, TRA1-81), which have been widely used to characterize human embryonic stem cells. In particular, the levels of OCT-3/4 and NANOG expression were significantly increased in the AID-transfected cells when compared with the control and empty vector-transfected cells (p < 0.05). Finally, DNA demethylation in the promoter regions of pluripotency genes (OCT-3/4, NANOG) was significantly increased compared with the control (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that the induction of the AID gene into bovine differentiated cells improves DNA demethylation and expression of pluripotency genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase)
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Cytidine Deaminase / genetics
  • Cytidine Deaminase / metabolism*
  • DNA Methylation*
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Nanog Homeobox Protein / genetics*
  • Nanog Homeobox Protein / metabolism
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / genetics*
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic

Substances

  • Nanog Homeobox Protein
  • Octamer Transcription Factor-3
  • AICDA (Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase)
  • Cytidine Deaminase