Mustafa SOYÖZ, Tülay KILIÇASLAN AYNA, Erhan TATAR, Melek PEHLİVAN, Mehmet TANRISEV, Burcu ÇERÇİ, Aslı ELDEM, İbrahim PİRİM
Experimental and Clinical Transplantation - 2026;24(6):444-449
Objectives: Regulation of immune responses in renal transplant recipients is complex, and the CTLA-4 gene plays a crucial role in maintaining immune tolerance. Methylation of CpG regions in the CTLA-4 promoter may affect its expression, potentially influencing transplant outcomes. This pilot study investigated the relationship between CTLA-4 promoter methylation and gene expression in CD8+ T cells of renal transplant recipients. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the CTLA-4 promoter methylation profile in CD8+ T cells from 29 renal transplant recipients using bisulfite sequencing. The methylation status of specific CpG regions was correlated with CTLA-4 expression levels to assess any potential influence of methylation on gene regulation. Results: Two patients with hemi-methylated CpG regions in the CTLA-4 promoter showed an increase in CTLA-4 expression. However, no overall correlation between methylation levels and gene expression was observed across the patient cohort. Conclusions: The findings suggested that immune responses and treatment outcomes may differ considerably between individuals. In addition, other epigenetic mechanisms may play a role in modulating CTLA-4 expression. These results highlight the complexity of immune regulation in renal transplant recipients and the need for further investigation into the epigenetic factors influencing transplant outcomes.
