DNA Methylation Dynamics During Esophageal Epithelial Regeneration Following Repair with Acellular Silk Fibroin Grafts in Rats

The study investigated DNA methylation dynamics during esophageal epithelial regeneration in rats using acellular silk fibroin grafts. It was found that global hypermethylation occurred at post-reconstruction timepoints, with an inverse correlation between promoter DNA methylation and the expression of differentially expressed proteins during regeneration. Site-specific hypomethylation targeted genes related to immune activation, while hypermethylation was observed within gene bodies encoding PI3K-Akt signaling components during tissue remodeling. These findings provided insights into the epigenetic mechanisms involved in esophageal regeneration following surgical repair with acellular grafts.