Differential DNA Methylation Alterations in Radiation-Sensitive and -Resistant Cells

An understanding of cellular processes that determine the response to ionizing radiation (IR) exposure is essential to improve radiotherapy and to assess risks to human health after accidental radiation exposure. Exposure to IR induces a multitude of biological effects. Recent studies have indicated the involvement of epigenetic events in regulating the responses of irradiated cells. DNA methylation, where the cytosine bases in CpG dimers are converted to 5-methyl cytosine, is an epigenetic event that has been shown to regulate a variety of biological processes. We investigated the DNA methylation changes in irradiated TK6 and WTK1 human cells that differ in sensitivity to IR. The global DNA methylation alterations as measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based assay showed hypomethylation in both type of cells. Using an arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) approach, we observed time-dependent dynamic changes in the regional genomic DNA methylation patterns in both cell lines. The AP-PCR DNA methylation profiles were different between TK6 and WTK1 cells, indicating the involvement of differential genomic DNA responses to radiation treatment. The analysis of the components of the DNA methylation machinery showed the modulation of maintenance and de novo rnethyltransferases in irradiated cells. DNMT1 mRNA levels were increased in TK6 cells after irradiation but were repressed in WTK1 cells. DNMT3A and DNMT3B were induced in both cells after radiation treatment. TET1, involved in the conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), was induced in both cells. This study demonstrates that irradiated cells acquire epigenetic changes in the DNA methylation patterns, and the associated cellular machinery are involved in the response to radiation exposure. This study also shows that DNA methylation patterns change at different genomic regions and are dependent on time after irradiation and the genetic background of the cell.