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Skinner MK. Epigenetic biomarkers for disease susceptibility and preventative medicine. Cell Metab 2024; 36:263-277. [PMID: 38176413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The development of molecular biomarkers for disease makes it possible for preventative medicine approaches to be considered. Therefore, therapeutics, treatments, or clinical management can be used to delay or prevent disease development. The problem with genetic mutations as biomarkers is the low frequency with genome-wide association studies (GWASs), generally at best a 1% association of the patients with the disease. In contrast, epigenetic alterations have a high-frequency association of greater than 90%-95% of individuals with pathology in epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs). A wide variety of human diseases have been shown to have epigenetic biomarkers that are disease specific and that detect pathology susceptibility. This review is focused on the epigenetic biomarkers for disease susceptibility, and it distinct from the large literature on epigenetics of disease etiology or progression. The development of efficient epigenetic biomarkers for disease susceptibility will facilitate a paradigm shift from reactionary medicine to preventative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA.
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Duncan GE, Avery A, Maamar MB, Nilsson EE, Beck D, Skinner MK. Epigenome-wide association study of systemic effects of obesity susceptibility in human twins. Epigenetics 2023; 18:2268834. [PMID: 37871278 PMCID: PMC10595392 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2268834] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study was designed to use an epigenome-wide association approach (EWAS) to identify potential systemic DNA methylation alterations that are associated with obesity using 22 discordant twin pairs. Buccal cells (from a cheek swab) were used as a non-obesity relevant purified marker cell for the epigenetic analysis. Analysis of differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) was used to identify epigenetic associations with metabolic and dietary measures related to obesity with discordant twins. An edgeR analysis provided a DMR signature with p < 1e-04, but statistical significance was reduced due to low sample size and known multiple origins of obesity. A weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed and identified modules (p < 0.005) of epigenetic sites that correlated with different metabolic and dietary measures. The DMR and WGCNA epigenetic sites were near genes (e.g., CIDEC, SPP1, ZFPG9, and POMC) with previously identified obesity associated pathways (e.g., metabolism, cholesterol, and fat digestion). Observations demonstrate the feasibility of identifying systemic epigenetic biomarkers for obesity, which can be further investigated for clinical relevance in future research with larger sample sizes. The availability of a systemic epigenetic biomarker for obesity susceptibility may facilitate preventative medicine and clinical management of the disease early in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen E. Duncan
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Ally Avery
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Eric E. Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Michael K. Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Wild MA, Taylor KR, Nilsson EE, Beck D, Skinner MK. Systemic epigenome-wide association study of elk treponeme-associated hoof disease. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15378. [PMID: 37717058 PMCID: PMC10505176 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42546-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) is an emerging disease of elk (Cervus canadensis) in the U.S. Pacific West. Because environmental epigenetics is the primary molecular process that mediates environmental factor impacts on a host organism and disease, the role of epigenetics in TAHD etiology was examined. The current study was designed to examine potential effects of TAHD on systemic epigenetic modifications in infected elk over a range of TAHD lesion severity. Leg tendons that contain predominantly fibroblast connective tissue cells were used to isolate fibroblast cells for epigenetic analysis in unaffected and TAHD-positive male and female Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk. Differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) between the unaffected and TAHD-positive elk were identified for both female and male elk. The presence of TAHD was associated with alteration of the connective tissue cell epigenetics, and DMR associated genes identified. Therefore, the infected elk were found to have a systemic epigenetic alteration that was associated with the disease, despite pathology being generally limited to feet. If the elk germline epigenetics is altered then generational transmission of susceptibility to TAHD may impact subsequent generations through epigenetic inheritance. This first study of epigenetic changes associated with disease in elk suggests that TAHD promotes a systemic effect on the elk epigenetics which could exert health impacts on the elk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A Wild
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Kyle R Taylor
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
- Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA.
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Ben Maamar M, Wang Y, Nilsson EE, Beck D, Yan W, Skinner MK. Transgenerational sperm DMRs escape DNA methylation erasure during embryonic development and epigenetic inheritance. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2023; 9:dvad003. [PMID: 37346491 PMCID: PMC10281242 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvad003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Germline transmission of epigenetic information is a critical component of epigenetic inheritance. Previous studies have suggested that an erasure of DNA methylation is required to develop stem cells in the morula embryo. An exception involves imprinted genes that escape this DNA methylation erasure. Transgenerational differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) have been speculated to be imprinted-like and escape this erasure. The current study was designed to assess if morula embryos escape the erasure of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane-induced transgenerational sperm DMR methylation. Observations demonstrate that the majority (98%) of transgenerational sperm DMR sites retain DNA methylation and are not erased, so appearing similar to imprinted-like sites. Interestingly, observations also demonstrate that the majority of low-density CpG genomic sites had a significant increase in DNA methylation in the morula embryo compared to sperm. This is in contrast to the previously observed DNA methylation erasure of higher-density CpG sites. The general erasure of DNA methylation during embryogenesis appears applicable to high-density DNA methylation sites (e.g. CpG islands) but neither to transgenerational DMR methylation sites nor to low-density CpG deserts, which constitute the vast majority of the genome's DNA methylation sites. The role of epigenetics during embryogenesis appears more dynamic than the simple erasure of DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Millissia Ben Maamar
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Yue Wang
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Wei Yan
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, The Lundquist Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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Conole ELS, Vaher K, Cabez MB, Sullivan G, Stevenson AJ, Hall J, Murphy L, Thrippleton MJ, Quigley AJ, Bastin ME, Miron VE, Whalley HC, Marioni RE, Boardman JP, Cox SR. Immuno-epigenetic signature derived in saliva associates with the encephalopathy of prematurity and perinatal inflammatory disorders. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 110:322-338. [PMID: 36948324 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm birth is closely associated with a phenotype that includes brain dysmaturation and neurocognitive impairment, commonly termed Encephalopathy of Prematurity (EoP), of which systemic inflammation is considered a key driver. DNA methylation (DNAm) signatures of inflammation from peripheral blood associate with poor brain imaging outcomes in adult cohorts. However, the robustness of DNAm inflammatory scores in infancy, their relation to comorbidities of preterm birth characterised by inflammation, neonatal neuroimaging metrics of EoP, and saliva cross-tissue applicability are unknown. METHODS Using salivary DNAm from 258 neonates (n = 155 preterm, gestational age at birth 23.28 - 34.84 weeks, n = 103 term, gestational age at birth 37.00 - 42.14 weeks), we investigated the impact of a DNAm surrogate for C-reactive protein (DNAm CRP) on brain structure and other clinically defined inflammatory exposures. We assessed i) if DNAm CRP estimates varied between preterm infants at term equivalent age and term infants, ii) how DNAm CRP related to different types of inflammatory exposure (maternal, fetal and postnatal) and iii) whether elevated DNAm CRP associated with poorer measures of neonatal brain volume and white matter connectivity. RESULTS Higher DNAm CRP was linked to preterm status (-0.0107 ± 0.0008, compared with -0.0118 ± 0.0006 among term infants; p < 0.001), as well as perinatal inflammatory diseases, including histologic chorioamnionitis, sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotising enterocolitis (OR range |2.00 | to |4.71|, p < 0.01). Preterm infants with higher DNAm CRP scores had lower brain volume in deep grey matter, white matter, and hippocampi and amygdalae (β range |0.185| to |0.218|). No such associations were observed for term infants. Association magnitudes were largest for measures of white matter microstructure among preterms, where elevated epigenetic inflammation associated with poorer global measures of white matter integrity (β range |0.206| to |0.371|), independent of other confounding exposures. CONCLUSIONS Inflammatory-related DNAm captures the allostatic load of inflammatory burden in preterm infants. Such DNAm measures complement biological and clinical metrics when investigating the determinants of neurodevelopmental differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor L S Conole
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
| | - Kadi Vaher
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Manuel Blesa Cabez
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Gemma Sullivan
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Anna J Stevenson
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Jill Hall
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Lee Murphy
- Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Michael J Thrippleton
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alan J Quigley
- Imaging Department, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Mark E Bastin
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Veronique E Miron
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Heather C Whalley
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Riccardo E Marioni
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - James P Boardman
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK; MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh BioQuarter, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
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Dye CK, Domingo-Relloso A, Kupsco A, Tinkelman NE, Spratlen MJ, Bozack AK, Tellez-Plaza M, Goessler W, Haack K, Umans JG, Baccarelli AA, Cole SA, Navas-Acien A. Maternal DNA methylation signatures of arsenic exposure is associated with adult offspring insulin resistance in the Strong Heart Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107774. [PMID: 36805808 PMCID: PMC10166110 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to low to moderate arsenic (As) levels has been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other chronic diseases in American Indian communities. Prenatal exposure to As may also increase the risk for T2D in adulthood, and maternal As has been associated with adult offspring metabolic health measurements. We hypothesized that T2D-related outcomes in adult offspring born to women exposed to low to moderate As can be evaluated utilizing a maternally-derived molecular biosignature of As exposure. Herein, we evaluated the association of maternal DNA methylation with incident T2D and insulin resistance (Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance [HOMA2-IR]) in adult offspring. For DNA methylation, we used 20 differentially methylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpG) previously associated with the sum of inorganic and methylated As species (ΣAs) in urine in the Strong Heart Study (SHS). Of these 20 CpGs, we found six CpGs nominally associated (p < 0.05) with HOMA2-IR in a fully adjusted model that included clinically relevant covariates and offspring adiposity measurements; a similar model that adjusted instead for maternal adiposity measurements found three CpGs nominally associated with HOMA2-IR, two of which overlapped the offspring adiposity model. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, cg03036214 remained associated with HOMA2-IR (q < 0.10) in the offspring adiposity model. The odds ratio of incident T2D increased with an increase in maternal DNA methylation at one HOMA2-IR associated CpG in the model adjusting for offspring adiposity, cg12116137, whereas adjusting for maternal adiposity had a minimal effect on the association. Our data suggests offspring adiposity, rather than maternal adiposity, potentially influences the effects of maternal DNAm signatures on offspring metabolic health parameters. Here, we have presented evidence supporting a role for epigenetic biosignatures of maternal As exposure as a potential biomarker for evaluating risk of T2D-related outcomes in offspring later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian K Dye
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Arce Domingo-Relloso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA; Department of Chronic Diseases Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Health Institutes, Madrid, Spain
| | - Allison Kupsco
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Naomi E Tinkelman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Miranda J Spratlen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anne K Bozack
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Maria Tellez-Plaza
- Department of Chronic Diseases Epidemiology, National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Health Institutes, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Karin Haack
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jason G Umans
- MedStar Health Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA; Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, Georgetown-Howard Universities, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shelley A Cole
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Duncan GE, Avery A, Thorson JLM, Nilsson EE, Beck D, Skinner MK. Epigenome-wide association study of physical activity and physiological parameters in discordant monozygotic twins. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20166. [PMID: 36424439 PMCID: PMC9691628 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) was performed on buccal cells from monozygotic-twins (MZ) reared together as children, but who live apart as adults. Cohorts of twin pairs were used to investigate associations between neighborhood walkability and objectively measured physical activity (PA) levels. Due to dramatic cellular epigenetic sex differences, male and female MZ twin pairs were analyzed separately to identify differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs). A priori comparisons were made on MZ twin pairs discordant on body mass index (BMI), PA levels, and neighborhood walkability. In addition to direct comparative analysis to identify specific DMRs, a weighted genome coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to identify DNA methylation sites associated with the physiological traits of interest. The pairs discordant in PA levels had epigenetic alterations that correlated with reduced metabolic parameters (i.e., BMI and waist circumference). The DNA methylation sites are associated with over fifty genes previously found to be specific to vigorous PA, metabolic risk factors, and sex. Combined observations demonstrate that behavioral factors, such as physical activity, appear to promote systemic epigenetic alterations that impact metabolic risk factors. The epigenetic DNA methylation sites and associated genes identified provide insight into PA impacts on metabolic parameters and the etiology of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen E Duncan
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, 99202, USA
| | - Ally Avery
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, 99202, USA
| | - Jennifer L M Thorson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Daniel Beck
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA
| | - Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-4236, USA.
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