Usefulness of DNA Methylation Levels in COASY and SPINT1 Gene Promoter Regions as Biomarkers in Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

PLoS One. 2016 Dec 19;11(12):e0168816. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168816. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

In order to conduct early therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease (AD), convenient, early diagnosis markers are required. We previously reported that changes in DNA methylation levels were associated with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and AD. As the results suggested changes in DNA methylation levels in the COASY and SPINT1 gene promoter regions, in the present study we examined DNA methylation in these regions in normal controls (NCs, n = 30), aMCI subjects (n = 28) and AD subjects (n = 30) using methylation-sensitive high resolution melting (MS-HRM) analysis. The results indicated that DNA methylation in the two regions was significantly increased in AD and aMCI as compared to NCs (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, ANOVA). Further analysis suggested that DNA methylation in the COASY gene promoter region in particular could be a high sensitivity, high specificity diagnosis biomarker (COASY: sensitivity 96.6%, specificity 96.7%; SPINT1: sensitivity 63.8%, specificity 83.3%). DNA methylation in the COASY promoter region was associated with CDR Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), an indicator of dementia severity. In the SPINT1 promoter region, DNA methylation was negatively associated with age in NCs and elevated in aMCI and AD subjects positive for antibodies to Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). These findings suggested that changes in DNA methylation in the COASY and SPINT1 promoter regions are influenced by various factors. In conclusion, DNA methylation levels in the COASY and SPINT1 promoter regions were considered to potentially be a convenient and useful biomarker for diagnosis of AD and aMCI.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / metabolism*
  • DNA Methylation*
  • Female
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory / metabolism*
  • Transferases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Biomarkers
  • Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory
  • SPINT1 protein, human
  • Transferases
  • COASY protein, human

Grants and funding

The present work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI (grant numbers 25893251 [TN] and 26860946 [NK]; https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/), The Jikei University Research Fund (SS, http://www.jikei.ac.jp), The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)-Supported Program for the Strategic Research Foundation at Private Universities (grant number S1201032 [KKo]; http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/koutou/shinkou/07021403/002/002/1218299.htm) and The Uehara Memorial Foundation (NK, http://www.ueharazaidan.or.jp). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.