The Expression Pattern and Regulatory Mechanism of the G0/G1 Switch Gene 2 (G0S2) in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of AChR Myasthenia Gravis (MG)

Abstract

This study is aimed at exploring the expression pattern and methylation level of G0S2 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with positive acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies and revealing the relationship between the G0S2 methylation pattern and MG. The relationship between the NFAT family members and G0S2 was explored to reveal the regulatory mechanism of G0S2 in the pathogenesis and treatment of AChR MG. Moreover, we attempted to demonstrate the potential therapeutic mechanism of tacrolimus in AChR MG. The relative G0S2 expression level in the PBMCs of healthy people was compared with that in the PBMCs of AChR MG patients with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The methylation frequency of the G0S2 promoter was detected by bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) and pyrosequencing. A dual-luciferase reporter system was used to reveal the relationship between the G0S2 promoter and nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5). The qRT-PCR results showed that G0S2 expression was significantly upregulated in the B cells and CD8+ T cells of AChR MG patients but not in the CD4+ T cells, and these expression differences were significantly associated with a decrease in G0S2 methylation. NFAT5, which was speculated to bind to island 1 (p1) in the G0S2 promoter, may regulate the lymphocyte balance by regulating G0S2 gene expression but failed to affect the methylation of the G0S2 promoter. Tacrolimus therapy-induced methylation and overexpression of NFAT5 could significantly reduce the expression of G0S2 in AChR MG patients. The G0S2 gene was remarkably upregulated in the PBMCs of MG patients. NFAT5 may affect transcription initiation and downregulate G0S2 expression through p1 in the promoter, thus controlling G0S2 gene expression and regulating the lymphocyte balance. Therefore, G0S2 could be an immune regulatory factor in both AChR MG occurrence and treatment with tacrolimus.