摘要目的：探讨SLE患者糖皮质激素受体（GR）基因启动子1区DNA甲基化水平与GRαmRNA表达量之间的关系。方法收集15例新发SLE患者和15名健康对照者，亚硫酸氢盐修饰后测序法检测GR基因启动子1区DNA甲基化水平，实时定量PCR法检测PBMCs中DNA甲基化转移酶1（DNMT1）、DNA损伤诱导蛋白45α（GADD45α）和糖皮质激素受体α（GRα） mRNA表达量。组间比较采用t检验和χ2检验。用Pearson相关系数分析两变量间的相关性。结果同健康对照者比较，SLE患者GRα的mRNA量显著下降（分别为10±5，17±7，t=2.69，P<0.05），而DNMT1和GADD45α显著上升（t=3.11，P<0.05和t=2.98，P<0.05）。 GR启动子1区142个CpG岛总甲基化水平显著升高[（16±8）%和（11±6）%，t=2.75， P<0.05]，GRα mRNA表达量与GR启动子1区DNA甲基化水平之间呈负相关（y=-0.6517x+21.038， R2=0.7548）。 SLE患者PBMCs全基因组DNA甲基化水平显著下降（t=4.39，P<0.05）。结论 SLE患者PBMCs中GR启动子区DNA高甲基化水平可能是导致GR基因mRNA低表达的原因之一。

abstractsObjective To investigate the relatio nship between the DNA methylation status of gluco-corticoid receptor (GR) gene promoter and mRNA expression level of GRα gene of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Fifteen new onset SLE patients and fifteen healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The DNA methylation status of GR gene promoter 1 of PBMCs was detected through bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mRNA expression of GRα, DNA methyltransferases, growth arrest and DNA damage-induced 45α (GADD45α) of PBMCs was detected using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method. T-test and χ2-test were used to detect the differences between the two groups, Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the linear correlation between two variables. Results Compared with healthy controls, the mRNA expression of GRα was signi-ficantly declined in SLE patients (10±5, 17±7, t=2.69, P<0.05), and the mRNA expression of DNMT1 and GADD45α was significantly elevated in SLE patients (t=3.11, P<0.05 and t=2.98, P<0.05). The overall mean methylation status of the 142 CpG islands of the four promoters was significantly elevated in SLE patients [(16±8)%vs (11±6)%, t=2.75, P<0.05]. The global methylation status of PBMCs in SLE patients was obviously lower than healthy controls (t=4.39, P<0.05). Conclusion Hypermethylation of GRα promoter may result in GRαgene low expression in PBMCs of patients with SLE.