AUTHOR=Xu Tianqi , Yu Xi , Zhou Shenjun , Wu Yiwen , Deng Xinpeng , Wu Yuefei , Wang Shiyi , Gao Xiang , Nie Sheng , Zhou Chenhui , Sun Jie , Huang Yi 

TITLE=DNA methylation and mRNA expression of glutathione S-transferase alpha 4 are associated with intracranial aneurysms in a gender-dependent manner

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.1079455

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2022.1079455

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> We performed a case-control study to investigate the correlation between DNA methylation and mRNA expression of the glutathione S-transferase alpha 4 (<italic>GSTA4</italic>) gene and the risk of intracranial aneurysm (IA) in the Chinese Han population.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> After propensity score matching, 44 pairs of cases and controls were collected in this study. Fasting blood samples were collected for DNA and RNA extraction within 24 h of admission. Nine CpG dinucleotides were selected from the GSTA4 promoter region for DNA methylation pyrosequencing. mRNA expression of GSTA4 was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). <italic>In vitro</italic> cell experiments were conducted to verify the association between 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine induced DNA hypomethylation and GSTA4 mRNA expression.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The mean methylation level of GSTA4 was much lower in IA patients, especially in IA patients, especially in unruptured IA (UIA), than that in controls (IA vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001; ruptured IA (RIA) vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> = .005; UIA vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001). With sex stratification, we further found that the association between GSTA4 methylation and IA risk presented only in women (mean methylation level: IA vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001; RIA vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> = .009; UIA vs. Control, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001). GSTA4 mRNA expression was significantly higher in the IA group than in the control group (<italic>p</italic> &lt; .01) and negatively correlated with DNA methylation in all individuals (r = −.746, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001). DNA hypomethylation can increase GSTA4 mRNA expression in human primary artery smooth muscle cells. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that GSTA4 mean methylation (AUC = .80, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001) was a reliable predictor of women intracranial aneurysm, among which CpG 1 exhibited the best predictive value (AUC = .89, <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001). In addition, GSTA4 expression levels could also predict the risk of IA in women (AUC = .87, <italic>p</italic> = .005).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Decreased DNA methylation and increased mRNA expression of the GSTA4 gene are associated with the risk of IA in women.</p>