Table 1.

Description of genes analyzed in this study

Symbol	Gene name	GenBank accession no.	Function
HAT1	Histone acetyltransferase	NM_001033085 NM_003642	Adds acetyl group; promotes transcription.
HDAC1	Histone deacetylase 1	NM_004964	Class I histone deacetylase involved in control of cell proliferation, differentiation, growth and apoptosis; represses transcription.
HDAC6	Histone deacetylase 6	NM_006044	Class II histone deacetylase.
HDAC11	Histone deacetylase 11	NM_024827	Class IV histone deacetylase localized to the nucleus; involved in regulating interleukin 10 expression.
SIN3A	Sin3 transcription regulator homolog A (yeast)	NM_001145357 NM_001145358 NM_015477	Transcriptional regulator for STAT3; Promotes deacetylation.
MAT2B	Methionine adenosyltransferase II, beta	NM_013283	Catalyzes the biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine, the major methyl donor; Regulatory beta subunit.
MBD2	methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2	NM_003927	Part of nuclear protein family related by the presence of a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD). Binds specifically to methylated DNA; represses transcription from methylated gene promoters; functions as a demethylase to activate transcription.
MBD4	Methyl-CpG binding domain protein 4	NM_003925	Binds specifically to methylated DNA; Involved in protein interactions, and DNA repair.
DNMT1	DNA (cystosine-5) methyltransferase 1	NM_001130823 NM_001379	Methylates CpG residues, preferentially methylates hemimethylated DNA. Associates with DNA replication sites in S phase maintaining the methylation pattern in newly synthesized strand, essential for epigenetic inheritance.
DNMT3A	DNA (cystosine-5) methyltransferase 3A	NM_022552 NM_153759 NM_175629	Methylates de novo during development. Important for genomic imprinting.
DNMT3B	DNA (cystosine-5) methyltransferase 3B	NM_001207055; NM_001207056 NM_006892 NM_175848 NM_175849 NM_175850	Methylates de novo during development. Important for genomic imprinting.
CFH	Complement factor H	NM_000186	Essential in regulation of complement activation.
EFEMP1	EGF containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1	NM_004105 NM_018894 NM_001039348 NM_001039349	Encoded protein contains tandemly repeated EGF-like repeats followed by C-terminus fibulin-like domain.
NFκB2	Nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells 2	NM_001077494 NM_001077493 NM_002502	Subunit of transcription factor complex nuclear factor-kappa-B complex which is central activator of inflammation and immune function genes.
VEGFA	Vascular endothelial growth factor A	NM_001025366 NM_001025367 NM_001025368 NM_001025369 NM_001025370 NM_001033756 NM_001171622 NM_001171623 NM_001171624 NM_001171625 NM_001171626 NM_001171627 NM_001171628 NM_001171629 NM_001171630 NM_001204384 NM_001204385 NM_003376	Member of PDGF/VEGF growth factor family. Acts on endothelial cells. Causes increased vascular permeability, angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, endothelial cell growth, cell migration and inhibits apoptosis. Mutations in this gene have been associated with proliferative and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
HPRT1	Hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1	NM_000194	Transferase, which catalyzes conversion of hypoxanthine to inosine monophosphate & guanine to guanosine monophosphate. Plays a central role in the generation of purine nucleotides through the purine salvage pathway. Endogenous control.
HMBS	Hydroxymethylbilane synthase	NM_000190 NM_001024382 NM_001258208 NM_001258209	Member of the hydroxymethylbilane synthase superfamily. Third enzyme of the heme biosynthetic pathway. Catalyzes the head to tail condensation of four porphobilinogen molecules into the linear hydroxymethylbilane. Endogenous control.
ALAS1	5′-aminolevulinate synthase 1	NM_000688 XM_005264944	This gene encodes the mitochondrial enzyme which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in heme (iron-protoporphyrin) biosynthesis. The enzyme encoded by this gene is the housekeeping enzyme; the level of the mature encoded protein is regulated by heme: high levels of heme down-regulate the mature enzyme in mitochondria while low heme levels up-regulate.
TUBB	Tubulin, beta class I	NM_178014 NM_001293213	This gene encodes a beta tubulin protein. This protein forms a dimer with alpha tubulin and acts as a structural component of microtubules.