text: Methylation-sensitive enzymes do not cut specific sites in the IRF-4 promoter in hematopoietic cells
  To further investigate promoter methylation as a regulatory mechanism of IRF-4 gene expression, restriction-PCR-assays were performed (20,24), where only methylated DNA would not be cut enabling subsequent PCR amplification and vice versa. Genomic DNA from leukemic cells Jurkat, CML-T1, U-937, K-562, EM-2 and BV-173 was digested with the methylation-sensitive enzymes HpaII, Bsh1236I and HaeII-isochizomer Bsp143II. EcoRI, which has no recognition site within the IRF-4 promoter, and the methylation-resistant enzyme MspI served as controls. Two separate amplification reactions were performed, generating two fragments, F1 and F2 (Figure 3A). After digestion with HpaII and Bsp143II a sufficient PCR amplification of F1 and F2 was detected in DNA from IRF-4-negative Jurkat, CML-T1, U-937, K-562 and EM-2 cells, suggesting a promoter methylation (and restriction protection) at the respective recognition sites (Figure 3B and C). Notably, in IRF-4-positive SD-1 cells digestion with the methylation-sensitive enzymes completely inhibited amplification of F1 and F2. In IRF-4-positive BV-173 cells a HpaII, but not a Bsh1236I digestion, significantly reduced the amplifiable DNA message of F2 (Figure 3C), whereas amplification of F1 was not affected (Figure 3B). This implied that IRF-4 transcription in SD-1 and BV-173 cells is associated with less promoter methylation (in BV-173 especially at HpaII sites) as compared with the tested IRF-4-negative cells. 
  