Changes in methylation pattern of NMDA receptor NR2B gene in cortical neurons after chronic ethanol treatment in mice

Chronic ethanol treatment produced an increase in the rate of NR2B gene expression in adult cortex and cultured fetal cortical neurons. To determine the possible molecular mechanism involved in the upregulation of NR2B gene expression, we studied methylation in CpG island in mouse fetal cortical neurons. Our results demonstrate that chronic ethanol administration causes demethylation of cytosine residues in CpG island in cortical neurons which may be responsible for the changes in the expression of NR2B gene. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.