Differential epigenetic regulation of BDNF and NT-3 genes by trichostatin A and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in Neuro-2a cells.

To understand epigenetic regulation of neurotrophins in Neuro-2a mouse neuroblastoma cells, we investigated the alteration of CpG methylation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promoter I and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) promoter IB and that of histone modification in Neuro-2a cells. Bisulfite genomic sequencing showed that the CpG sites of BDNF promoter I were methylated in non-treated Neuro-2a cells and demethylated following 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment. In contrast, methylation status of the NT-3 promoter IB did not change by 5-aza-dC treatment in Neuro-2a cells.