RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FRA-2 PROTEIN, MRNA EXPRESSION, DNA METHYLATION LEVEL AND THE OCCURRENCE OF METABOLIC SYNDROME IN XINJIANG UIGHUR POPULATION

Jun Li^{1, *}, ZeXin Hou^{1, 2}, SiYuan Li², TongYao Wang^{1, 2}, GuoLei Cao³, Ying Hu⁴, JinFeng Li² 

¹Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832002, China - ²Medical College, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832002, China - ³Department of Neurology and Respiratory Medicine, Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Xinjiang Medical University - ⁴Department of Psychiatry, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University

Objective: Fos-related antigen-2 (FRA-2) plays an important role in metabolism. However, few people have studied whether the expression of FRA-2 will be disordered when metabolic syndrome (MetS) and other risk factors appear. In our research, the expression of FRA-2 protein, mRNA and DNA methylation in peripheral blood of Xinjiang Uygur non-metabolic population and metabolic syndrome population was detected, and the relationship between FRA-2 DNA methylation and MetS composition was further analyzed. 

Methods: 100 Uygur subjects were divided into non-metabolic syndrome (Non-MetS, n=50) and metabolic syndrome (MetS, n=50) groups. The general data and biochemical indexes were recorded. The FRA-2 protein was detected by ELISA and mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The DNA methylation level of FRA-2 was analyzed by MassARRAY spectroscopy. 

Results: Compared with Non-MetS group, (1) the waist circumference, FPG, HbA1c, TG, TC, LDL-C,SBP, DBP, BMI, FINS and HOMA-IR in MetS group increased, while HDL-C decreased. (2) The expression of FRA-2 protein and mRNA in the MetS group was down-regulated; the methylation of 8 CPG units in the MetS group increased. (3) The average methylation rate of FRA-2 was negatively correlated with mRNA expression. (4) 1 CPG unit of FRA-2 was positively correlated with SBP, 3 CPG units were positively associated with DBP, 5 CPG units were positively associated with waist circumference, 6 CPG units were positively associated with FPG, TG, BMI and HOMA-IR.

Conclusion: The down-regulation of FRA-2 protein and mRNA expression and the up-regulation of DNA methylation may have correlation with the occurrence and development of MetS in Xinjiang Uygur.