Differences of RUNX2 gene promoter methylation and transcription level in ankylosing spondylitis

Background and Objective Ankylosing spondylitis is a refractory immune disease that seriously affects the life and work of patients. Epigenetic modifications, especially DNA methylation, have become a research hotspot in complex diseases. We aim to explore the changes in runt‐related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) gene promoter methylation and transcription level in AS. Method We detected the RUNX2 gene promoter methylation in 83 AS patients and 83 healthy controls (HCs), then inspected the mRNA difference of RUNX2 between 30 AS patients and 30 HCs by the quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). Results The RUNX2 gene promoter was hypomethylated in AS patients compared to HCs (p