Objective: To investigate the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA and evaluate the status of histone H3 acetylation at TNF-α and COX-2 promoter in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from type 2 diabetics.
Methods: The PBMCs from 12 type 2 diabetics and 12 healthy controls were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. The differential expression of TNF-α and COX-2 mRNA was measured by real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis was used to detect the status of H3 acetylation at TNF-α and COX-2 promoter region.
Results: TNF-α and COX-2 mRNA were overexpressed in PBMCs from Type 2 diabetics as compared with normal controls (2.28 ± 0.09 fold and 2.78 ± 0.26 fold).(P < 0.05). Compared with normal controls, H3 acetylation at the TNF-α (1.54 ± 0.43 vs 0.97 ± 0.39, P = 0.0094) and COX-2 (1.20 ± 0.58 vs 0.64 ± 0.21, P = 0.0161) gene promoter region was elevated in PBMCs from Type 2 diabetic patients.
Conclusion: Increased H3 acetylation at TNF-α and COX-2 promoter in PBMCs from type 2 diabetics may contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes through the elevated expressions of TNF-α and COX-2.