Interleukin-4 Induces CpG Site-Specific Demethylation of the Pendrin Promoter in Primary Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Pendrin is upregulated in bronchial epithelial cells following IL-4 stimulation via binding of STAT6 to an N₄ GAS motif. Basal CpG methylation of the pendrin promoter is cell-specific. We studied if a correlation exists between IL-4 sensitivity and the CpG methylation status of the pendrin promoter in human bronchial epithelial cell models. Methods: Real-time PCR and pyrosequencing were used to respectively quantify pendrin mRNA levels and methylation of pendrin promoter, with and without IL-4 stimulation, in healthy and diseased primary HBE cells, as well as NCI-H292 cells. Results: Increases in pendrin mRNA after IL-4 stimulation was more robust in NCI-H292 cells than in primary cells. The amount of gDNA methylated varied greatly between the cell types. In particular, CpG site 90 located near the N₄ GAS motif was highly methylated in the primary cells. An additional CpG site (90bis), created by a SNP, was found only in the primary cells. IL-4 stimulation resulted in dramatic demethylation of CpG sites 90 and 90bis in the primary cells. Conclusions: IL-4 induces demethylation of specific CpG sites within the pendrin promoter. These epigenetic alterations are cell type specific, and may in part dictate pendrin mRNA transcription.