Abstract 7009: Quantification of DNA methylation using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and digital PCR
Authors: Zhao Yu , Cambria Lindsey 
Published: March 2024

DNA methylation is a common epigenetic modification, characterized by the presence of the signature 5-methylcytosine without altering the sequence of DNA. The study of DNA methylation in mammals has gained significant attention due to its broad impact on numerous biological processes and its critical role in the onset and progression of many diseases, such as cancer and aging. Consequently, there is a pressing need for a rapid and precise method to assess methylation status. Currently, most approaches for quantifying DNA methylation rely on sodium bisulfite treatment. However, such approaches do not align with the uracil DNA glycosylase PCR system. In this study, we demonstrate the application of methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes (MSRE) and digital PCR to determine the methylation status of the Ras association domain family 1 isoform A (RASSF1A) in cancer cell lines. Digital PCR enables the precise detection and absolute quantification without the reliance on reference standards. We developed a multiplex digital PCR assay that includes the target gene RASSF1A, along with two reference genes for the purpose of monitoring digestion completion and correcting DNA input. Each sample of interest was measured both before and after a MSRE digestion. To ensure the quantification accuracy, we employed the commercially available CpGenome human methylated DNA standard with a known concentration from MilliporeSigma, treating it with and without a MSRE, and subsequently performing digital PCR experiments using Roche Digital LightCycler® IVD system with a Universal nanowell plate featuring 28,000 partitions. The expected concentrations lay within the 95% confidence interval, affirming the accurate quantification achieved through digital PCR. Next, we measured the fraction of methylated alleles in various lung cancer and breast cancer cell lines, as well as in healthy human gDNA. The methylation of RASSF1A promoter in healthy human gDNA is ~0.7%, while a broad range of methylation levels was observed in cancer cell lines, ranging from ~0.7% to ~100.2%. Notably, the influence of GC bias was identified in this study. To overcome this critical challenge, we optimized the usage of several high GC enhancers. The results demonstrated that the concentration of 5-7.5% DMSO, 7.5% glycerol, and commercially available OneTaq or Q5 GC enhancers from New England Biolabs were effectively incorporated into the Roche digital PCR system, thereby enhancing the accuracy of quantification from 30% to 100%. Together, we demonstrated a remarkable approach for DNA methylation analysis using Roche digital PCR system in combination with MSREs and suitable high GC enhancers. This study suggests a promising rapid, accurate and cost-effective tool to advance research in the field. *Data on file at Roche Diagnostics, Wilmington, MA, USA

Citation Format: Yu Zhao, Lindsey Cambria. Quantification of DNA methylation using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and digital PCR [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 7009.