DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMAN SPERM AND SOMATIC-CELL DNA IN CPG METHYLATION WITHIN THE HLA CLASS-I CHROMOSOMAL REGION

PROBLEM: We investigated the possible negative regulatory mechanisms that repress classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I gene expression in human spermatozoa and searched for novel testis-specific coding sequences that might be present in the MHC class I chromosomal region. METHOD: We performed a comparative DNA methylation analysis of this genomic region in both purified human spermatozoa and mononuclear blood cells from the same donors, using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes followed by classical or pulsed field gel electrophoresis and hybridization with HLA class I locus-specific probes. RESULTS: Unmethylated CpG sites were detected in the 3' part of HpaII tiny fragments of the HLA-F and HLA-G genes in spermatozoal DNA. In contrast, no difference was observed in the methylation status of the HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-E genes between germ and somatic cells. CpG unmethylation events were also detected in several parts of this chromosomal region (outside the known loci) in spermatozoal DNA. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that this genomic region undergoes changes in its DNA methylation pattern during the developmental process. We hypothesize that these dynamic changes have functional importance, including a possible transcriptional activity of nonclassical class I genes and/or as yet undescribed testis-specific coding sequences.