Fig. 4

DNA methylation changes in 82 of 85 genes detected in Th0s were in accordance with disease activity. Among the 85 genes co-occurring in Th0s, 82 showed changes in methylation status according to disease activity. Forty of the 82 genes showed significantly higher methylation at relapse compared to remission (a) and controls (b), or at remission compared to controls (a) in each comparison. Additionally, the remaining 42 of the 82 genes were always less methylated at relapse compared to remission (d) and controls (e), or at remission compared to controls (d) in each comparison. The difference between control and relapse (b and e) was comparable to the sums of differences between control to remission and remission to relapse (a and d) at every probe of 82 genes, both in increasing and decreasing methylation towards relapse, as shown in c and f. The line drawn in the same color indicates the methylation ratio obtained from the same probe spotted in each array for 3 comparisons (a, b, d, and e)