Human Molecular Genetics Advance Access published online on September 18, 2003
Human Molecular Genetics, doi:10.1093/hmg/ddg315
© 2003 by Oxford University Press
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Centre for Medical Genetics, University Hospital and Medical School, Dutch-speaking Brussels Free University, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: lgendrem{at}az.vub.ac.be.
Imprinting is an epigenetic mechanism leading to mono-allelic expression of imprinted genes. In order to inherit the differential epigenetic imprints from one generation to the next, these imprints have to be erased in the primordial germ cells and re-established in a sex-specific manner during gametogenesis. The exact timing of the imprint resetting is not yet known and the use of immature gametes in assisted reproductive technologies may therefore lead to abnormal imprinting and related diseases. Imprinting is associated with differential allelic methylation in a CpG-context. We studied the methylation patterns of the imprint control (IC) region of the human SNRPN-gene in human spermatozoa, oocytes in different developmental stages (germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I and metaphase II oocytes) and in preimplantation embryos using the bisulphite sequencing technique. In the spermatozoa, almost all potential methylation sites were unmethylated whereas mainly methylated patterns were found in the oocytes at different developmental stages. In the embryos, an average methylation pattern of 53.0% was found indicating that the imprints, which have been set during gametogenesis, are stably maintained in the preimplantation embryo. Our results indicate that the maternal imprints for the IC-region of the human SNRPN-gene are already re-established at the GV stage and that they are not re-established in a late oocyte stage or after fertilisation as previously reported. Recent advances in assisted reproductive technologies raise questions concerning safety and the epigenetic risks involved. Our study was the first to check the methylation imprints in human preimplantation embryos and oocytes at different developmental stages.
Article
Methylation imprints of the imprint control region of the SNRPN-gene in human gametes and preimplantation embryos
2 Centre for Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital and Medical School, Dutch-speaking Brussels Free University, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
Abstract 
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  Y. Kaufman, M. Heled, J. Perk, A. Razin, and R. Shemer Protein-binding elements establish in the oocyte the primary imprint of the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndromes domain PNAS, June 23, 2009; 106(25): 10242 - 10247. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. L. Lopes, A. L. Fortier, N. Darricarrere, D. Chan, D. R. Arnold, and J. M. Trasler Reproductive and epigenetic outcomes associated with aging mouse oocytes Hum. Mol. Genet., June 1, 2009; 18(11): 2032 - 2044. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. J. Amor and J. Halliday A review of known imprinting syndromes and their association with assisted reproduction technologies Hum. Reprod., December 1, 2008; 23(12): 2826 - 2834. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. L. Fortier, F. L. Lopes, N. Darricarrere, J. Martel, and J. M. Trasler Superovulation alters the expression of imprinted genes in the midgestation mouse placenta Hum. Mol. Genet., June 1, 2008; 17(11): 1653 - 1665. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C.J. Marques, P. Costa, B. Vaz, F. Carvalho, S. Fernandes, A. Barros, and M. Sousa Abnormal methylation of imprinted genes in human sperm is associated with oligozoospermia Mol. Hum. Reprod., February 1, 2008; 14(2): 67 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Geuns, P. Hilven, A. Van Steirteghem, I. Liebaers, and M. De Rycke Methylation analysis of KvDMR1 in human oocytes J. Med. Genet., February 1, 2007; 44(2): 144 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Sato, E. Otsu, H. Negishi, T. Utsunomiya, and T. Arima Aberrant DNA methylation of imprinted loci in superovulated oocytes Hum. Reprod., January 1, 2007; 22(1): 26 - 35. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S Rossignol, V Steunou, C Chalas, A Kerjean, M Rigolet, E Viegas-Pequignot, P Jouannet, Y Le Bouc, and C Gicquel The epigenetic imprinting defect of patients with Beckwith--Wiedemann syndrome born after assisted reproductive technology is not restricted to the 11p15 region J. Med. Genet., December 1, 2006; 43(12): 902 - 907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Lucifero, J. Suzuki, V. Bordignon, J. Martel, C. Vigneault, J. Therrien, F. Filion, L. C. Smith, and J. M. Trasler Bovine SNRPN Methylation Imprint in Oocytes and Day 17 In Vitro-Produced and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos Biol Reprod, October 1, 2006; 75(4): 531 - 538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. A. Johnstone, A. J. DuBose, C. R. Futtner, M. D. Elmore, C. I. Brannan, and J. L. Resnick A human imprinting centre demonstrates conserved acquisition but diverged maintenance of imprinting in a mouse model for Angelman syndrome imprinting defects Hum. Mol. Genet., February 1, 2006; 15(3): 393 - 404. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. Imamura, A. Kerjean, T. Heams, J.-J. Kupiec, C. Thenevin, and A. Paldi Dynamic CpG and Non-CpG Methylation of the Peg1/Mest Gene in the Mouse Oocyte and Preimplantation Embryo J. Biol. Chem., May 20, 2005; 280(20): 20171 - 20175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. Allegrucci, A. Thurston, E. Lucas, and L. Young Epigenetics and the germline Reproduction, February 1, 2005; 129(2): 137 - 149. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Fulka, M. Mrazek, O. Tepla, and J. Fulka Jr DNA methylation pattern in human zygotes and developing embryos Reproduction, December 1, 2004; 128(6): 703 - 708. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. Kantor, Y. Kaufman, K. Makedonski, A. Razin, and R. Shemer Establishing the epigenetic status of the Prader-Willi/Angelman imprinting center in the gametes and embryo Hum. Mol. Genet., November 15, 2004; 13(22): 2767 - 2779. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Lucifero, M. R.W. Mann, M. S. Bartolomei, and J. M. Trasler Gene-specific timing and epigenetic memory in oocyte imprinting Hum. Mol. Genet., April 15, 2004; 13(8): 839 - 849. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Lucifero, J.R. Chaillet, and J. M. Trasler Potential significance of genomic imprinting defects for reproduction and assisted reproductive technology Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2004; 10(1): 3 - 18. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|