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Han R, Zhu D, Sha J, Zhao B, Jin P, Meng C. Decoding the role of DNA methylation in allergic diseases: from pathogenesis to therapy. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:89. [PMID: 38965641 PMCID: PMC11225420 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01270-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Allergic diseases, characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and symptoms, encompass a significant category of IgE-mediated atopic disorders, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. These complex conditions arise from the intricate interplay between genetic and environmental factors and are known to contribute to socioeconomic burdens globally. Recent advancements in the study of allergic diseases have illuminated the crucial role of DNA methylation (DNAm) in their pathogenesis. This review explores the factors influencing DNAm in allergic diseases and delves into their mechanisms, offering valuable perspectives for clinicians. Understanding these epigenetic modifications aims to lay the groundwork for improved early prevention strategies. Moreover, our analysis of DNAm mechanisms in these conditions seeks to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, paving the way for more effective management of allergic diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiming Han
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Dongdong Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Upper Airway Allergic Diseases, Changchun, China
| | - Jichao Sha
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Upper Airway Allergic Diseases, Changchun, China
| | - Boning Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Jin
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael ST NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Cuida Meng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Upper Airway Allergic Diseases, Changchun, China.
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Kawarai Y, Nakamura J, Hagiwara S, Suzuki-Narita M, Inage K, Ohtori S. Alterations in DNA methylation machinery in a rat model of osteoarthritis of the hip. J Orthop Surg Res 2024; 19:357. [PMID: 38880910 PMCID: PMC11181635 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04847-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to validate alterations in the gene expression of DNA methylation-related enzymes and global methylation in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and synovial tissues of animal hip osteoarthritis (OA) models. METHODS Animals were assigned to the control (no treatment), sham (25 µL of sterile saline), and OA (25 µL of sterile saline and 2 mg of monoiodoacetate) groups. Microcomputed tomography scan, histopathological assessment and pain threshold measurement were performed after induction. The mRNA expression of the DNA methylation machinery genes and global DNA methylation in the PBMC and hip synovial tissue were evaluated. RESULTS The OA group presented with hip joint OA histopathologically and radiologically and decreased pain threshold. The mRNA expression of DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt 3a), ten-eleven translocation (Tet) 1 and Tet 3 in the synovial tissue of the OA group was significantly upregulated. Global DNA methylation in the synovial tissue of the OA group was significantly higher than that of the control and sham groups. CONCLUSIONS The intra-articular administration of monoiodoacetate induced hip joint OA and decreased pain threshold. The DNA methylation machinery in the synovial tissues of hip OA was altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Kawarai
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan.
| | - Junichi Nakamura
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Shigeo Hagiwara
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Miyako Suzuki-Narita
- Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Kazuhide Inage
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
| | - Seiji Ohtori
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1- 8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan
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3
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Cardoso GC, Ganzella FADO, Miniskiskosky G, da Cunha RS, Ramos EADS. Digital methylation-specific PCR: New applications for liquid biopsy. Biomol Concepts 2024; 15:bmc-2022-0041. [PMID: 38345545 DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2022-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic analysis is a fundamental part of understanding pathophysiological processes with potential applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of disease susceptibility. Epigenetic changes have been widely studied in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but currently, there is no molecular marker used to improve the treatment of patients. Furthermore, this progressive disease is a risk factor for the development of more severe COVID-19. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP-PCR) plays an important role in the analysis of DNA methylation profiles, and it is one of the most widely used techniques. In this context, the combination of MSP-PCR with emerging PCR technologies, such as digital PCR (dPCR), results in more accurate analyses of the DNA methylation profile of the genes under study. In this study, we propose the application of the MSP-dPCR technique to evaluate the methylation profile of the ADAM33 gene from saliva samples and lung tissue biopsies of patients with COPD and COVID-19. MSP-dPCR generated a measurable prediction of gene methylation rate, with the potential application of this combined technology for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. It has also proven to be a powerful tool for liquid biopsy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Casani Cardoso
- Human Pathology Experimental Laboratory, Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Guilherme Miniskiskosky
- Human Pathology Experimental Laboratory, Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Regiane Stafim da Cunha
- Post-Graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Edneia Amancio de Souza Ramos
- Human Pathology Experimental Laboratory, Basic Pathology Department, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
- Post-Graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Paraná, Brazil
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4
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Lebold KM, Cook M, Pincus AB, Nevonen KA, Davis BA, Carbone L, Calco GN, Pierce AB, Proskocil BJ, Fryer AD, Jacoby DB, Drake MG. Grandmaternal allergen sensitization reprograms epigenetic and airway responses to allergen in second-generation offspring. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2023; 325:L776-L787. [PMID: 37814791 PMCID: PMC11068409 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00103.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma susceptibility is influenced by environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors. DNA methylation is one form of epigenetic modification that regulates gene expression and is both inherited and modified by environmental exposures throughout life. Prenatal development is a particularly vulnerable time period during which exposure to maternal asthma increases asthma risk in offspring. How maternal asthma affects DNA methylation in offspring and what the consequences of differential methylation are in subsequent generations are not fully known. In this study, we tested the effects of grandmaternal house dust mite (HDM) allergen sensitization during pregnancy on airway physiology and inflammation in HDM-sensitized and challenged second-generation mice. We also tested the effects of grandmaternal HDM sensitization on tissue-specific DNA methylation in allergen-naïve and -sensitized second-generation mice. Descendants of both allergen- and vehicle-exposed grandmaternal founders exhibited airway hyperreactivity after HDM sensitization. However, grandmaternal allergen sensitization significantly potentiated airway hyperreactivity and altered the epigenomic trajectory in second-generation offspring after HDM sensitization compared with HDM-sensitized offspring from vehicle-exposed founders. As a result, biological processes and signaling pathways associated with epigenetic modifications were distinct between lineages. A targeted analysis of pathway-associated gene expression found that Smad3 was significantly dysregulated as a result of grandmaternal allergen sensitization. These data show that grandmaternal allergen exposure during pregnancy establishes a unique epigenetic trajectory that reprograms allergen responses in second-generation offspring and may contribute to asthma risk.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Asthma susceptibility is influenced by environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors. This study shows that maternal allergen exposure during pregnancy promotes unique epigenetic trajectories in second-generation offspring at baseline and in response to allergen sensitization, which is associated with the potentiation of airway hyperreactivity. These effects are one mechanism by which maternal asthma may influence the inheritance of asthma risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie M Lebold
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States
| | - Madeline Cook
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Alexandra B Pincus
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Kimberly A Nevonen
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute Epigenetics Consortium, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Brett A Davis
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute Epigenetics Consortium, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Lucia Carbone
- Knight Cardiovascular Institute Epigenetics Consortium, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
- Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
- Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Gina N Calco
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Aubrey B Pierce
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Becky J Proskocil
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Allison D Fryer
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - David B Jacoby
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - Matthew G Drake
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States
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5
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Onuzulu CD, Lee S, Basu S, Comte J, Hai Y, Hizon N, Chadha S, Fauni MS, Kahnamoui S, Xiang B, Halayko AJ, Dolinsky VW, Pascoe CD, Jones MJ. Early-life exposure to cigarette smoke primes lung function and DNA methylation changes at Cyp1a1 upon exposure later in life. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2023; 325:L552-L567. [PMID: 37642652 PMCID: PMC11068412 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00192.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal and early-life exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) has repeatedly been shown to induce stable, long-term changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) in offspring. It has been hypothesized that these changes might be functionally related to the known outcomes of prenatal and early-life CS exposure, which include impaired lung development, altered lung function, and increased risk of asthma and wheeze. However, to date, few studies have examined DNAm changes induced by prenatal CS in tissues of the lung, and even fewer have attempted to examine the specific influences of prenatal versus early postnatal exposures. Here, we have established a mouse model of CS exposure which isolates the effects of prenatal and early postnatal CS exposures in early life. We have used this model to measure the effects of prenatal and/or postnatal CS exposures on lung function and immune cell infiltration as well as DNAm and expression of Cyp1a1, a candidate gene previously observed to demonstrate DNAm differences on CS exposure in humans. Our study revealed that exposure to CS prenatally and in the early postnatal period causes long-lasting differences in offspring lung function, gene expression, and lung Cyp1a1 DNAm, which wane over time but are reestablished on reexposure to CS in adulthood. This study creates a testable mouse model that can be used to investigate the effects of prenatal and early postnatal CS exposures and will contribute to the design of intervention strategies to mediate these detrimental effects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here, we isolated effects of prenatal from early postnatal cigarette smoke and showed that exposure to cigarette smoke early in life causes changes in offspring DNA methylation at Cyp1a1 that last through early adulthood but not into late adulthood. We also showed that smoking in adulthood reestablished these DNA methylation patterns at Cyp1a1, suggesting that a mechanism other than DNA methylation results in long-term memory associated with early-life cigarette smoke exposures at this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinonye Doris Onuzulu
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Samantha Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Sujata Basu
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Jeannette Comte
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Yan Hai
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Nikho Hizon
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Shivam Chadha
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Maria Shenna Fauni
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Shana Kahnamoui
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Bo Xiang
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Andrew J Halayko
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Vernon W Dolinsky
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Christopher D Pascoe
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Dessie EY, Gautam Y, Ding L, Altaye M, Beyene J, Mersha TB. Development and validation of asthma risk prediction models using co-expression gene modules and machine learning methods. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11279. [PMID: 37438356 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35866-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a heterogeneous respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation and obstruction. Despite recent advances, the genetic regulation of asthma pathogenesis is still largely unknown. Gene expression profiling techniques are well suited to study complex diseases including asthma. In this study, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) followed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning techniques using dataset generated from airway epithelial cells (AECs) and nasal epithelial cells (NECs) were used to identify candidate genes and pathways and to develop asthma classification and predictive models. The models were validated using bronchial epithelial cells (BECs), airway smooth muscle (ASM) and whole blood (WB) datasets. DEG and WGCNA followed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method identified 30 and 34 gene signatures and these gene signatures with support vector machine (SVM) discriminated asthmatic subjects from controls in AECs (Area under the curve: AUC = 1) and NECs (AUC = 1), respectively. We further validated AECs derived gene-signature in BECs (AUC = 0.72), ASM (AUC = 0.74) and WB (AUC = 0.66). Similarly, NECs derived gene-signature were validated in BECs (AUC = 0.75), ASM (AUC = 0.82) and WB (AUC = 0.69). Both AECs and NECs based gene-signatures showed a strong diagnostic performance with high sensitivity and specificity. Functional annotation of gene-signatures from AECs and NECs were enriched in pathways associated with IL-13, PI3K/AKT and apoptosis signaling. Several asthma related genes were prioritized including SERPINB2 and CTSC genes, which showed functional relevance in multiple tissue/cell types and related to asthma pathogenesis. Taken together, epithelium gene signature-based model could serve as robust surrogate model for hard-to-get tissues including BECs to improve the molecular etiology of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eskezeia Y Dessie
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Yadu Gautam
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Lili Ding
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joseph Beyene
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Tesfaye B Mersha
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Dapas M, Thompson EE, Wentworth-Sheilds W, Clay S, Visness CM, Calatroni A, Sordillo JE, Gold DR, Wood RA, Makhija M, Khurana Hershey GK, Sherenian MG, Gruchalla RS, Gill MA, Liu AH, Kim H, Kattan M, Bacharier LB, Rastogi D, Altman MC, Busse WW, Becker PM, Nicolae D, O’Connor GT, Gern JE, Jackson DJ, Ober C. Multi-omic association study identifies DNA methylation-mediated genotype and smoking exposure effects on lung function in children living in urban settings. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010594. [PMID: 36638096 PMCID: PMC9879483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Impaired lung function in early life is associated with the subsequent development of chronic respiratory disease. Most genetic associations with lung function have been identified in adults of European descent and therefore may not represent those most relevant to pediatric populations and populations of different ancestries. In this study, we performed genome-wide association analyses of lung function in a multiethnic cohort of children (n = 1,035) living in low-income urban neighborhoods. We identified one novel locus at the TDRD9 gene in chromosome 14q32.33 associated with percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (p = 2.4x10-9; βz = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.41- -0.21). Mendelian randomization and mediation analyses revealed that this genetic effect on FEV1 was partially mediated by DNA methylation levels at this locus in airway epithelial cells, which were also associated with environmental tobacco smoke exposure (p = 0.015). Promoter-enhancer interactions in airway epithelial cells revealed chromatin interaction loops between FEV1-associated variants in TDRD9 and the promoter region of the PPP1R13B gene, a stimulator of p53-mediated apoptosis. Expression of PPP1R13B in airway epithelial cells was significantly associated the FEV1 risk alleles (p = 1.3x10-5; β = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.06-0.17). These combined results highlight a potential novel mechanism for reduced lung function in urban youth resulting from both genetics and smoking exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Dapas
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois, United States of America
| | - Emma E. Thompson
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois, United States of America
| | | | - Selene Clay
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois, United States of America
| | | | | | - Joanne E. Sordillo
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Diane R. Gold
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert A. Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Melanie Makhija
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gurjit K. Khurana Hershey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Michael G. Sherenian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rebecca S. Gruchalla
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michelle A. Gill
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Andrew H. Liu
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Haejin Kim
- Department of Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Meyer Kattan
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Leonard B. Bacharier
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Deepa Rastogi
- Children’s National Health System, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Matthew C. Altman
- Department of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - William W. Busse
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Patrice M. Becker
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dan Nicolae
- Department of Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - George T. O’Connor
- Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - James E. Gern
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Jackson
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Carole Ober
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago Illinois, United States of America
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Gautam Y, Johansson E, Mersha TB. Multi-Omics Profiling Approach to Asthma: An Evolving Paradigm. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12010066. [PMID: 35055381 PMCID: PMC8778153 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12010066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a complex multifactorial and heterogeneous respiratory disease. Although genetics is a strong risk factor of asthma, external and internal exposures and their interactions with genetic factors also play important roles in the pathophysiology of asthma. Over the past decades, the application of high-throughput omics approaches has emerged and been applied to the field of asthma research for screening biomarkers such as genes, transcript, proteins, and metabolites in an unbiased fashion. Leveraging large-scale studies representative of diverse population-based omics data and integrating with clinical data has led to better profiling of asthma risk. Yet, to date, no omic-driven endotypes have been translated into clinical practice and management of asthma. In this article, we provide an overview of the current status of omics studies of asthma, namely, genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, exposomics, and metabolomics. The current development of the multi-omics integrations of asthma is also briefly discussed. Biomarker discovery following multi-omics profiling could be challenging but useful for better disease phenotyping and endotyping that can translate into advances in asthma management and clinical care, ultimately leading to successful precision medicine approaches.
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Cerutti J, Lussier AA, Zhu Y, Liu J, Dunn EC. Associations between indicators of socioeconomic position and DNA methylation: a scoping review. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:221. [PMID: 34906220 PMCID: PMC8672601 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01189-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Socioeconomic position (SEP) is a major determinant of health across the life course. Yet, little is known about the biological mechanisms explaining this relationship. One possibility widely pursued in the scientific literature is that SEP becomes biologically embedded through epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation (DNAm), wherein the socioeconomic environment causes no alteration in the DNA sequence but modifies gene activity in ways that shape health. METHODS To understand the evidence supporting a potential SEP-DNAm link, we performed a scoping review of published empirical findings on the association between SEP assessed from prenatal development to adulthood and DNAm measured across the life course, with an emphasis on exploring how the developmental timing, duration, and type of SEP exposure influenced DNAm. RESULTS Across the 37 identified studies, we found that: (1) SEP-related DNAm signatures varied across the timing, duration, and type of SEP indicator; (2) however, longitudinal studies examining repeated SEP and DNAm measures are generally lacking; and (3) prior studies are conceptually and methodologically diverse, limiting the interpretability of findings across studies with respect to these three SEP features. CONCLUSIONS Given the complex relationship between SEP and DNAm across the lifespan, these findings underscore the importance of analyzing SEP features, including timing, duration, and type. To guide future research, we highlight additional research gaps and propose four recommendations to further unravel the relationship between SEP and DNAm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Cerutti
- Department of Pscyhology, University of Vermont, 2 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches Research Building 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Alexandre A Lussier
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches Research Building 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yiwen Zhu
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches Research Building 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jiaxuan Liu
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches Research Building 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin C Dunn
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches Research Building 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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10
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DNA Methylation in Huntington's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312736. [PMID: 34884540 PMCID: PMC8657460 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylation of cytosine in CpG dinucleotides is the major DNA modification in mammalian cells that is a key component of stable epigenetic marks. This modification, which on the one hand is reversible, while on the other hand, can be maintained through successive rounds of replication plays roles in gene regulation, genome maintenance, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, and imprinting. Disturbed DNA methylation contributes to a wide array of human diseases from single-gene disorders to sporadic metabolic diseases or cancer. DNA methylation was also shown to affect several neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal, monogenic inherited disease. HD is caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion in the Huntingtin protein that brings about a multifaceted pathogenesis affecting several cellular processes. Research of the last decade found complex, genome-wide DNA methylation changes in HD pathogenesis that modulate transcriptional activity and genome stability. This article reviews current evidence that sheds light on the role of DNA methylation in HD.
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11
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Clifford RL, Jones MJ. Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: Integrating Multiple Data Sets to Decipher Cigarette Smoking Effects on Airway Epithelium. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2021; 65:335-336. [PMID: 34139135 PMCID: PMC8525203 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2021-0207ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Clifford
- Centre for Respiratory Medicine University of Nottingham and Nottingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Meaghan J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics University of Manitoba Manitoba, Canada and
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba Manitoba, Canada
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12
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Zhu T, Zhang X, Chen X, Brown AP, Weirauch MT, Guilbert TW, Khurana Hershey GK, Biagini JM, Ji H. Nasal DNA methylation differentiates severe from non-severe asthma in African-American children. Allergy 2021; 76:1836-1845. [PMID: 33175399 PMCID: PMC8110596 DOI: 10.1111/all.14655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asthma is highly heterogeneous, and severity evaluation is key to asthma management. DNA methylation (DNAm) contributes to asthma pathogenesis. This study aimed to identify nasal epithelial DNAm differences between severe and nonsevere asthmatic children and evaluate the impact of environmental exposures. METHODS Thirty-three nonsevere and 22 severe asthmatic African American children were included in an epigenome-wide association study. Genome-wide nasal epithelial DNAm and gene expression were measured. CpG sites associated with asthma severity and environmental exposures and predictive of severe asthma were identified. DNAm was correlated with gene expression. Enrichment for transcription factor (TF) binding sites or histone modifications surrounding DNAm differences were determined. RESULTS We identified 816 differentially methylated CpG positions (DMPs) and 10 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with asthma severity. Three DMPs exhibited discriminatory ability for severe asthma. Intriguingly, six DMPs were simultaneously associated with asthma, allergic asthma, total IgE, environmental IgE, and FeNO in an independent cohort of children. Twenty-seven DMPs were associated with traffic-related air pollution or secondhand smoke. DNAm at 22 DMPs was altered by diesel particles or allergen in human bronchial epithelial cells. DNAm levels at 39 DMPs were correlated with mRNA expression. Proximal to 816 DMPs, three histone marks and several TFs involved in asthma pathogenesis were enriched. CONCLUSIONS Significant differences in nasal epithelial DNAm were observed between nonsevere and severe asthma in African American children, a subset of which may be useful to predict disease severity. These CpG sites are subjected to the influences of environmental exposures and may regulate gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhu
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA
| | - Xue Zhang
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Xiaoting Chen
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | | | - Matthew T. Weirauch
- Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Divisions of Biomedical Informatics and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Theresa W. Guilbert
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Gurjit K. Khurana Hershey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Divison of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Davis, CA
| | - Jocelyn M. Biagini
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Divison of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Davis, CA
| | - Hong Ji
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, CA
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell biology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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13
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Sheikhpour M, Maleki M, Ebrahimi Vargoorani M, Amiri V. A review of epigenetic changes in asthma: methylation and acetylation. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:65. [PMID: 33781317 PMCID: PMC8008616 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01049-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies show that childhood and adulthood asthma and its symptoms can be modulated through epigenetic modifications. Epigenetic changes are inheritable modifications that can modify the gene expression without changing the DNA sequence. The most common epigenetic alternations consist of DNA methylation and histone modifications. How these changes lead to asthmatic phenotype or promote the asthma features, in particular by immune pathways regulation, is an understudied topic. Since external effects, like exposure to tobacco smoke, air pollution, and drugs, influence both asthma development and the epigenome, elucidating the role of epigenetic changes in asthma is of great importance. This review presents available evidence on the epigenetic process that drives asthma genes and pathways, with a particular focus on DNA methylation, histone methylation, and acetylation. We gathered and assessed studies conducted in this field over the past two decades. Our study examined asthma in different aspects and also shed light on the limitations and the important factors involved in the outcomes of the studies. To date, most of the studies in this area have been carried out on DNA methylation. Therefore, the need for diagnostic and therapeutic applications through this molecular process calls for more research on the histone modifications in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Sheikhpour
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
- Microbiology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mobina Maleki
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Ebrahimi Vargoorani
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Amiri
- Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Lee YS, Zhang H, Jiang Y, Kadalayil L, Karmaus W, Ewart SL, H Arshad S, Holloway JW. Epigenome-scale comparison of DNA methylation between blood leukocytes and bronchial epithelial cells. Epigenomics 2021; 13:485-498. [PMID: 33736458 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2020-0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Agreement in DNA methylation (DNAm) at the genome scale between blood leukocytes (BL) and bronchial epithelial cells (BEC) is unknown. We examine as to what extent DNAm in BL is comparable with that in BEC and serves as a surrogate for BEC. Materials & methods: Overall agreement (paired t-tests with false discovery rate adjusted p > 0.05) and consistency (Pearson's correlation coefficients >0.5) between two tissues, at each of the 767,412 CpGs, were evaluated. Results: We identified 247,721 CpGs showing overall agreement and 47,371 CpGs showing consistency in DNAm. Identified CpGs are involved in certain immune pathways, indicating the potential of using blood as a biomarker for BEC at those CpGs in lower airway-related diseases. Conclusion: CpGs showing overall agreement and those without overall agreement are distributed differently on the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Sheng Lee
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Yu Jiang
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Latha Kadalayil
- Human Development & Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Wilfried Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Susan L Ewart
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Syed H Arshad
- David Hide Asthma & Allergy Research Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK.,Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - John W Holloway
- Human Development & Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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15
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Chappell GA, Wikoff DS, Thompson CM. Assessment of Mechanistic Data for Hexavalent Chromium-Induced Rodent Intestinal Cancer Using the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens. Toxicol Sci 2021; 180:38-50. [PMID: 33404626 PMCID: PMC7916733 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) induces intestinal tumors in mice. Mutagenic and nonmutagenic modes of action (MOAs) have been accepted by different regulatory bodies globally, the latter involving cytotoxicity-induced regenerative cell proliferation. However, concerns persist that all possible MOAs have not been fully considered. To address the potential for alternative MOAs, mechanistic data not represented in the existing two MOAs were evaluated. Relevant data were identified and organized by key characteristics of carcinogens (KCCs); literature related to epigenetics, immunosuppression, receptor-mediated effects, and immortalization were reviewed to identify potential key events associated with an alternative MOA. Over 200 references were screened for these four KCCs and further prioritized based on relevance to the research objective (ie, in vivo, oral exposure, gastrointestinal tissue). Minimal data were available specific to the intestine for these KCCs, and there was no evidence of any underlying mechanisms or key events that are not already represented in the two proposed MOAs. For example, while epigenetic dysregulation of DNA repair genes has been demonstrated, epigenetic effects were not measured in intestinal tissue, and it has been shown that Cr(VI) does not cause DNA damage in intestinal tissue. High-throughput screening data related to the KCCs were also evaluated, with activity generally limited to the two recognized MOAs. Collectively, no plausible alternative MOAs (or key events) were identified in addition to those previously proposed for Cr(VI) small intestine tumors.
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16
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Kassam I, Tan S, Gan FF, Saw WY, Tan LWL, Moong DKN, Soong R, Teo YY, Loh M. Genome-wide identification of cis DNA methylation quantitative trait loci in three Southeast Asian Populations. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:603-618. [PMID: 33547791 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) is an epigenetic modification that acts to regulate gene transcription, is essential for cellular processes and plays an important role in complex traits and disease. Variation in DNAm levels is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Several studies have examined the extent to which common genetic variation influences DNAm (i.e. mQTLs), however, an improved understanding of mQTLs across diverse human populations is needed to increase their utility in integrative genomic studies in order to further our understanding of complex trait and disease biology. Here, we systematically examine cis-mQTLs in three Southeast Asian populations in the Singapore Integrative Omics (iOmics) Study, comprised of Chinese (n = 93), Indians (n = 83) and Malays (n = 78). A total of 24 851 cis-mQTL probes were associated with at least one SNP in meta- and ethnicity-specific analyses at a stringent significance level. These cis-mQTL probes show significant differences in local SNP heritability between the ethnicities, enrichment in functionally relevant regions using data from the Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium and are associated with nearby genes and complex traits due to pleiotropy. Importantly, DNAm prediction performance and the replication of cis-mQTLs both within iOmics and between two independent mQTL studies in European and Bangladeshi individuals is best when the genetic distance between the ethnicities is small, with differences in cis-mQTLs likely due to differences in allele frequency and linkage disequilibrium. This study highlights the importance of, and opportunities from, extending investigation of the genetic control of DNAm to Southeast Asian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfahan Kassam
- Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549
| | - Sili Tan
- KK Research Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore 229899
| | - Fei Fei Gan
- Department of NUH Tissue Repository, National University Health System, Singapore 119228
| | - Woei-Yuh Saw
- Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne Victoria, Australia 3004
| | - Linda Wei-Lin Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549
| | - Don Kyin Nwe Moong
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549
| | - Richie Soong
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599
| | - Yik-Ying Teo
- Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456.,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549
| | - Marie Loh
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom W2 1PG.,Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore 138648
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17
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Watanabe H, Miyake K, Matsuoka T, Kojima R, Sakurai D, Masuyama K, Yamagata Z. LPCAT2 Methylation, a Novel Biomarker for the Severity of Cedar Pollen Allergic Rhinitis in Japan. Am J Rhinol Allergy 2020; 35:631-639. [PMID: 33356413 DOI: 10.1177/1945892420983646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, the role of the epigenome in allergies has been receiving increasing attention. Although several genes that are methylated in relation to serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration have been reported by epigenome-wide association studies, little is known about the DNA methylation sites associated with the symptoms and severity of cedar pollinosis (CP). OBJECTIVE Our aim was to analyze the association between DNA methylation and the symptoms and severity of CP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and nasal mucosa scraping cells (NMSCs). METHODS We recruited 70 participants during the cedar pollen dispersal season. IgE levels were measured by a fluorescence enzyme immunoassay. We analyzed DNA methylation of acyl-CoA thioesterase 7 (ACOT7), mucin 4 (MUC4), schlafen 12 (SLFN12), lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2), and interleukin-4 (IL4) in PBMCs and NMSCs using bisulfite next-generation sequencing; the correlation of DNA methylation with non-specific IgE and cedar pollen-specific IgE levels in peripheral blood samples was also investigated. Symptom severity and DNA methylation were investigated in 15 untreated CP patients. RESULTS Non-specific IgE levels showed a significant negative correlation with average IL4 methylation in PBMCs (r = -0.46, P < 0.0001) but not with methylation of ACOT7, MUC4, SLFN12, and LPCAT2. Cedar pollen-specific IgE levels showed a significant negative correlation with average IL4 and MUC4 methylation in PBMCs (r = -0.31, P = 0.01 and r = -0.241, P = 0.046, respectively) but not with methylation of ACOT7, SLFN12, and LPCAT2. The methylation of some genes in NMSCs was not significantly correlated with IgE levels. The mean methylation of LPCAT2 in NMSCs showed a decreasing trend with increasing severity of CP (P = 0.027). CONCLUSION LPCAT2 methylation in NMSCs may reflect the severity of CP and could be used as a novel biomarker to identify suitable treatment options for CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Watanabe
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan.,Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Kunio Miyake
- Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Matsuoka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Reiji Kojima
- Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Daiju Sakurai
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Keisuke Masuyama
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Suwa Central Hospital, Chino, Japan
| | - Zentaro Yamagata
- Department of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
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18
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Groth EE, Weber M, Bahmer T, Pedersen F, Kirsten A, Börnigen D, Rabe KF, Watz H, Ammerpohl O, Goldmann T. Exploration of the sputum methylome and omics deconvolution by quadratic programming in molecular profiling of asthma and COPD: the road to sputum omics 2.0. Respir Res 2020; 21:274. [PMID: 33076907 PMCID: PMC7574293 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-020-01544-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To date, most studies involving high-throughput analyses of sputum in asthma and COPD have focused on identifying transcriptomic signatures of disease. No whole-genome methylation analysis of sputum cells has been performed yet. In this context, the highly variable cellular composition of sputum has potential to confound the molecular analyses. METHODS Whole-genome transcription (Agilent Human 4 × 44 k array) and methylation (Illumina 450 k BeadChip) analyses were performed on sputum samples of 9 asthmatics, 10 healthy and 10 COPD subjects. RNA integrity was checked by capillary electrophoresis and used to correct in silico for bias conferred by RNA degradation during biobank sample storage. Estimates of cell type-specific molecular profiles were derived via regression by quadratic programming based on sputum differential cell counts. All analyses were conducted using the open-source R/Bioconductor software framework. RESULTS A linear regression step was found to perform well in removing RNA degradation-related bias among the main principal components of the gene expression data, increasing the number of genes detectable as differentially expressed in asthma and COPD sputa (compared to controls). We observed a strong influence of the cellular composition on the results of mixed-cell sputum analyses. Exemplarily, upregulated genes derived from mixed-cell data in asthma were dominated by genes predominantly expressed in eosinophils after deconvolution. The deconvolution, however, allowed to perform differential expression and methylation analyses on the level of individual cell types and, though we only analyzed a limited number of biological replicates, was found to provide good estimates compared to previously published data about gene expression in lung eosinophils in asthma. Analysis of the sputum methylome indicated presence of differential methylation in genomic regions of interest, e.g. mapping to a number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes related to both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules in asthma and COPD macrophages. Furthermore, we found the SMAD3 (SMAD family member 3) gene, among others, to lie within differentially methylated regions which has been previously reported in the context of asthma. CONCLUSIONS In this methodology-oriented study, we show that methylation profiling can be easily integrated into sputum analysis workflows and exhibits a strong potential to contribute to the profiling and understanding of pulmonary inflammation. Wherever RNA degradation is of concern, in silico correction can be effective in improving both sensitivity and specificity of downstream analyses. We suggest that deconvolution methods should be integrated in sputum omics analysis workflows whenever possible in order to facilitate the unbiased discovery and interpretation of molecular patterns of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Espen E Groth
- LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany. .,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany. .,Department of Internal Medicine I, Pneumology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany. .,Department of Oncology, Hematology and BMT with Section Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Melanie Weber
- Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Thomas Bahmer
- LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany.,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine I, Pneumology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Frauke Pedersen
- LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany.,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Pulmonary Research Institute at LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany
| | - Anne Kirsten
- Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Pulmonary Research Institute at LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany
| | - Daniela Börnigen
- Bioinformatics Core Unit, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus F Rabe
- LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany.,Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany
| | - Henrik Watz
- Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Pulmonary Research Institute at LungenClinic Grosshansdorf, Großhansdorf, Germany
| | - Ole Ammerpohl
- Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Torsten Goldmann
- Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Großhansdorf, Germany.,Research Center Borstel, Pathology, Borstel, Germany
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