DNA methylation changes in CD4 T cells isolated from multiple sclerosis patients on dimethyl fumarate.

Background: Dimethyl fumarate is an oral treatment for multiple sclerosis, whose mechanism of action is not fully understood.

Objective: To investigate the effects of dimethyl fumarate on DNA methylation in the CD4 T cells of multiple sclerosis patients.

Methods: We performed Illumina EPIC arrays to investigate the DNA methylation profiles of CD4 T cells derived from multiple sclerosis patients before and after dimethyl fumarate treatment.

Results: Treatment with dimethyl fumarate resulted in 97% of differentially methylated positions showing hypermethylation. Four genes, , , and had a differentially methylated region located within the transcriptional start site.

Conclusion: This study investigates the effect of dimethyl fumarate on DNA methylation in multiple sclerosis patients.