Promoter-specific modulation of insulin-like growth factor II genomic imprinting by inhibitors of DNA methylation.

The insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene is maternally imprinted in most normal tissues with only the paternal allele being transcribed. In several human tumors, however, IGF-II is expressed from both parental alleles. To explore the underlying mechanism of IGF-II imprinting, we have examined the effect of DNA demethylation in cultured human and mouse astrocyte cells. An increased expression of IGF-II was observed when these cells were treated with the DNA demethylating agents, 5-azacytidine or 2-deoxy-5-azacytidine. Allelic analysis indicated that, following DNA demethylation, the increment in IGF-II mRNA was primarily derived from the normally suppressed maternal allele. Examination of promoter usage revealed that only the most proximal promoter (mP3 in mouse and hP4 in human) responded to DNA demethylating agents, whereas the expression of IGF-II from the other promoters remained unchanged. The enhanced expression of IGF-II from these promoters suggests the presence of a methylation-response element in or near mP3 and hP4. This study indicates that DNA demethylating agents increase IGF-II expression primarily by stimulating the normally imprinted allele through the activation of the most proximal IGF-II promoter.