Methylation in the 5' region of the murine beta Fc gamma R gene regulates the expression of Fc gamma receptor II

In order to identify possible mechanisms regulating the expression of Fc gamma RII, we have examined the methylation status of the beta Fc gamma R gene in a panel of Fc gamma RII (+) and (-) cells belonging to several different lineages. We used beta 1 cDNA probes, derived from beta Fc gamma R gene transcripts which encode murine Fc gamma RII molecules. We found that all CCGG sequences detected with these probes were methylated in the genomic DNA of the Fc gamma RII-(-) cells. By contrast, two CCGG sites were found to be selectively unmethylated in the DNA of all Fc gamma RII(+) cells tested. These sites could be assigned to the region of the 5' end of the beta Fc gamma R gene. Besides, the treatment of Fc gamma RII(-) thymoma cells BW5147 with 5-azacytidine induced a hypomethylation of the beta Fc gamma R gene concomitantly with the transcription of that gene as seen by Northern blotting and the expression of functional Fc gamma RII. Conversely, the DNA-methylating agent ethyl methanesulfonate completely reversed the phenotype of the 5-azacytidine-treated cells to that of the Fc gamma RII(-) BW5147 parent cells. In ethyl methanesulfonate-treated cells, the beta Fc gamma R gene was remethylated and the corresponding transcript was no more detectable. We conclude that the methylation of a specific 5' segment of the beta Fc gamma R gene regulates the expression of Fc gamma RII in murine T cells, B cells, mast cells, and macrophages, possibly by controlling the gene transcription.