Seminars

5hmC is a newly discovered epigenetic mark resulting from the oxidation of 5-methylcytosine. In mammals, 5hmC is present during embryonic development and in the adult brain. The functional importance of 5hmC in the healthy and diseased brain is unknown. We studied 5hmC in normal adult mouse brain as well as in mouse models of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, Huntington`s disease, and human brain samples of multiple sclerosis. Our data indicate that 5hmC 1) is differentially distributed in normal brain grey/ white matter and 2) these patterns change in pathological conditions. These results suggest a role of 5hmC in neurodegeneration.