TY - JOUR

T1 - DNA methylation profile of human dura and leptomeninges

AU - Maier, Andrea Daniela

AU - Christiansen, Steffan Noe

AU - Haslund-Vinding, Jeppe

AU - Krogager, Markus Engebæk

AU - Melchior, Linea Cecilie

AU - Scheie, David

AU - Mathiesen, Tiit

N1 - © The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Association of Neuropathologists, Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Healthy meninges are used as control tissue in meningioma studies usually without specification of the exact meningeal layer or macroanatomical origin but the DNA methylation profile of human meninges has not been investigated on a macroanatomical level. We undertook a proof-of-principle analysis to determine whether (1) meningeal tissues show sufficiently homogenous DNA methylation profiles to function as normal control tissue without further specification and (2) if previously described location-specific molecular signatures of meningiomas correspond to region-specific DNA methylation patterns. Dura mater and arachnoid membrane specimens were dissected from 5 anatomical locations in 2 fresh human cadavers and analyzed with the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Dura and leptomeninges showed marked differences in global DNA methylation patterns and between rostral and caudal anatomical locations. These differences did not reflect known anatomical predilection of meningioma molecular signatures. The highest numbers of differentially methylated probes were annotated to DIPC2 and FOXP1. Samples from foramen magnum showed hypomethylation of TFAP2B compared to those from remaining locations. Thus, the DNA methylation profiles of human meninges are heterogenous in terms of meningeal layer and anatomical location. The potential variability of DNA methylation data from meningiomas should be considered in studies using meningeal controls.

AB - Healthy meninges are used as control tissue in meningioma studies usually without specification of the exact meningeal layer or macroanatomical origin but the DNA methylation profile of human meninges has not been investigated on a macroanatomical level. We undertook a proof-of-principle analysis to determine whether (1) meningeal tissues show sufficiently homogenous DNA methylation profiles to function as normal control tissue without further specification and (2) if previously described location-specific molecular signatures of meningiomas correspond to region-specific DNA methylation patterns. Dura mater and arachnoid membrane specimens were dissected from 5 anatomical locations in 2 fresh human cadavers and analyzed with the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Dura and leptomeninges showed marked differences in global DNA methylation patterns and between rostral and caudal anatomical locations. These differences did not reflect known anatomical predilection of meningioma molecular signatures. The highest numbers of differentially methylated probes were annotated to DIPC2 and FOXP1. Samples from foramen magnum showed hypomethylation of TFAP2B compared to those from remaining locations. Thus, the DNA methylation profiles of human meninges are heterogenous in terms of meningeal layer and anatomical location. The potential variability of DNA methylation data from meningiomas should be considered in studies using meningeal controls.

U2 - 10.1093/jnen/nlad036

DO - 10.1093/jnen/nlad036

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37203418

VL - 82

SP - 641

EP - 649

JO - Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology

JF - Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology

SN - 0022-3069

IS - 7

ER -