The following is a summary of “Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles analysis in primary warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia patients,” published in the July 2023 issue of Hematology by Zhao et al. 

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is caused by autoantibodies from overactivated B cells, targeting self-red blood cells, leading to hemolysis. Aberrant DNA methylation in B cells can trigger autoantibody production. Researchers conducted a retrospective study investigating whether similar aberrant DNA methylation occurs in AIHA patients.

They included a 49-year-old female with wAIHA and a 47-year-old healthy control (HC). DNA from Peripheral blood (PB) B cells was extracted. Genomic libraries were constructed, followed by bisulfite genomic sequencing (BSP) analysis and DNA methylation profiles. BSP was validated using PB B cells from 10 hemolysis patients, 10 in hemolytic remission, and 10 HCs via Methylation-specific PCR.

The results showed total DNA methylation of whole-genome C bases (4.8%) and CG type bases (76.8%) in wAIHA patients was lower than HC (5.3% and 82.5%, respectively) (P= 0.022 and P< 0.001). The patient’s DNA methylation of C bases and CG type bases in whole-genome regulatory elements, such as coding sequence, up2Kb, and down 2Kb, was also lower than HC (P= 0.041, P= 0.038, and P= 0.029). A sum of 30,180 DNA-methylated regions (DMRs) on all 23 chromosomes were identified. DMR-related genes were mainly involved in the Rap1, phospholipase D, HIF-1, calcium, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and Ras signaling pathways.

They concluded that AIHA patients exhibit higher hypomethylation regions in B cells, affecting DMR-related genes and signaling pathways.

Source: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078454.2023.2240138