Maternal haemoglobin levels in pregnancy and child DNA methylation: a study in the pregnancy and childhood epigenetics consortium

Characterising developmental dynamics of adult epigenetic clock sites

BACKGROUND

DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene activity in response to genetic and environmental influences, changes as we age. DNAm at specific sites on the genome can be used to calculate 'epigenetic clocks', which are powerful biomarkers of age, as well as of ageing. However, little is known about how these clock sites 'behave' during development and what factors influence their variability in early life. This knowledge could be used to optimise healthy ageing well before the onset of age-related conditions.

METHODS

We leveraged results from two longitudinal population-based cohorts (N = 5019 samples from 2348 individuals) to characterise trajectories of adult clock sites from birth to early adulthood. To explore what factors may drive early individual differences at these clock sites, we also tested for enrichment of genetic factors and prenatal exposures based on existing epigenome-wide association meta-analyses.

FINDINGS

We find that clock sites (i) diverge widely in their developmental trajectories, often showing non-linear change over time; (ii) are substantially more likely than non-clock sites to vary between individuals already from birth, differences that are predictive of DNAm variation at later ages; and (iii) show enrichment for genetic influences and prenatal environmental exposures, including prenatal smoking, diet and maternal physical health conditions.

INTERPRETATION

These results suggests that age(ing)-related epigenetic processes might originate-and differ between individuals-already very early in development. Understanding what drives these differences may in future help us to devise better strategies to promote healthy ageing.

FUNDING

This research was conducted while C.A.M.C. was a Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Awardee in Aging Biology and Geroscience Research. Full personal funding details, as well as cohort funding details, can be found in the Acknowledgements.

Decoding the role of DNA methylation in allergic diseases: from pathogenesis to therapy

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.

What makes clocks tick? Characterizing developmental dynamics of adult epigenetic clock sites

DNA methylation (DNAm) at specific sites can be used to calculate 'epigenetic clocks', which in adulthood are used as indicators of age(ing). However, little is known about how these clock sites 'behave' during development and what factors influence their variability in early life. This knowledge could be used to optimize healthy aging well before the onset of age-related conditions. Here, we leveraged results from two longitudinal population-based cohorts (N=5,019 samples from 2,348 individuals) to characterize trajectories of adult clock sites from birth to early adulthood. We find that clock sites (i) diverge widely in their developmental trajectories, often showing non-linear change over time; (ii) are substantially more likely than non-clock sites to vary between individuals already from birth, differences that are predictive of DNAm variation at later ages; and (iii) show enrichment for genetic and prenatal environmental exposures, supporting an early-origins perspective to epigenetic aging.

Gynecology Meets Big Data in the Disruptive Innovation Medical Era: State-of-Art and Future Prospects

Tremendous scientific and technological achievements have been revolutionizing the current medical era, changing the way in which physicians practice their profession and deliver healthcare provisions. This is due to the convergence of various advancements related to digitalization and the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs)—ranging from the internet of things (IoT) and the internet of medical things (IoMT) to the fields of robotics, virtual and augmented reality, and massively parallel and cloud computing. Further progress has been made in the fields of addictive manufacturing and three-dimensional (3D) printing, sophisticated statistical tools such as big data visualization and analytics (BDVA) and artificial intelligence (AI), the use of mobile and smartphone applications (apps), remote monitoring and wearable sensors, and e-learning, among others. Within this new conceptual framework, big data represents a massive set of data characterized by different properties and features. These can be categorized both from a quantitative and qualitative standpoint, and include data generated from wet-lab and microarrays (molecular big data), databases and registries (clinical/computational big data), imaging techniques (such as radiomics, imaging big data) and web searches (the so-called infodemiology, digital big data). The present review aims to show how big and smart data can revolutionize gynecology by shedding light on female reproductive health, both in terms of physiology and pathophysiology. More specifically, they appear to have potential uses in the field of gynecology to increase its accuracy and precision, stratify patients, provide opportunities for personalized treatment options rather than delivering a package of “one-size-fits-it-all” healthcare management provisions, and enhance its effectiveness at each stage (health promotion, prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics).