Effect of the FOXP3 gene methylation status in pathogenesis of patients with allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the mRNA expression level and the methylation status of FOXP3 gene in peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis(AR) and explore the roles of FOXP3 gene in the pathogenesis of AR.Method:According to inclusion and exclusion criteria,10 AR patients,10 AR patients received SIT treatment for over one year,10 healthy controls were recruited for this study.Bisulfate sequencing technology(BSP) was used to detect the different methyation status of FOXP3 gene in peripheral blood between AR patients and controls. Real time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to detect different levels of FOXP3 mRNA in peripheral blood between AR patients and controls.Result:VAS scores of AR patients with SIT is much lower than that of AR patients. The expression levels of FOXP3 mRNA in AR patients are significantly lower compared to controls and AR patients with SIT(P <0.05). The methylation levels of AR is significantly higher compared to healthy controls and AR patients with SIT(P <0.05), whereas the methylation levels of AR patients with SIT is significantly higher compared to controls.Conclusion:The methylation levels of -127 and -250 CpG island on FOXP3 promoter in peripheral blood of AR patients may be associated with allergic rhinitis, and SIT may attenuate symptoms of AR by regulating the methylation levels of FOXP3 promoter.