DNA methylation variability in a pilot study group with ischemic stroke

Elevated plasma homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, however the etiology remains poorly understood. Elevated homocysteine is known to inhibit methyltransferases including DNA methyltransferases, but no methylome-wide analysis of elevated homocysteine has been reported. Peripheral blood genomic DNA methylation in 8 Singaporean-Chinese ischemic stroke patients (4 male, 4 female) with varying homocysteine titer and hypertensive status were profiled using methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) protein-enriched genome sequencing (MBD-seq) on Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx. A methylome wide screen was undertaken for gender, total plasma homocysteine, hypertension and age. The data show considerable variability within the small cohort, including at genes which are related to one carbon metabolism and cardiovascular disease. Peripheral blood genomic DNA methylation in 8 Singaporean-Chinese ischemic stroke patients (4 male, 4 female) was profiled using methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) protein-enriched genome sequencing (MBD-seq) on Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx. Methylation parrterns were correlated with homocysteine levels, lypertensive status, gender and age.