Experimental Research On Aberrant Methylation Of Fas Gene And Its Protein Expression In Joint Cartilage Cells Of Osteoarthritis

Objectives To investigate the role of Human Fas gene enhancer hypomethylation in the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis (OA).Methods General DNA were dealed with Sodium Bisulfite method. The hypomethylation of Fas enhancer was detected by Methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Fas protein expression in joint cartilage cells were detected by Immunohistochemical method.35 OA patients and 14 control patients were recruited from the in-patient of the second Xiangya hospital of Central South University.The results were analyzed byχ2 or Fisher's test and Spearman correlation analysis of SPSS 16.0 statistic analysis software.Results1. The positive percent of Fas enhancer hypomethylation in OA patients and healthy persons were 74.29%(26/35) and 28.57%(4/14) respectively, Usingχ2 test, there was significantly different between the two groups(p<0.05).2. The positive percent of Fas preotein in OA patients and healthy persons were 77.14%(27/35) and 14.29%(2/14) respectively. Usingχ2 test, the positive percent of Fas protein in OA patients was significantly higher than that in healthy persons(p<0.05).3. hypomethylation of Fas gene and its protein expression had no significant relationship with sex and age.(P>0.05)4. Enhancer hypomethylation and protein expression level of Fas gene showed significantly positive correlation. (r=0.614, P<0.01)ConclusionsFas enhance is hypomethlated in joint cartilage cells of OA patients. The hypomethylation increase the protein expression of Fas, which might take a role in the occurrence and development of OA.