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Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309469121. [PMID: 38442181 PMCID: PMC10945818 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309469121] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The early-life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early-life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early-life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Amanda J. Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37235
| | | | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Mercy Y. Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A. Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN46556
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
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2
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Peeters SB, Posynick BJ, Brown CJ. Out of the Silence: Insights into How Genes Escape X-Chromosome Inactivation. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:29. [PMID: 38131901 PMCID: PMC10742877 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040029] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The silencing of all but one X chromosome in mammalian cells is a remarkable epigenetic process leading to near dosage equivalence in X-linked gene products between the sexes. However, equally remarkable is the ability of a subset of genes to continue to be expressed from the otherwise inactive X chromosome-in some cases constitutively, while other genes are variable between individuals, tissues or cells. In this review we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches that have been used to identify escapees. The identity of escapees provides important clues to mechanisms underlying escape from XCI, an arena of study now moving from correlation to functional studies. As most escapees show greater expression in females, the not-so-inactive X chromosome is a substantial contributor to sex differences in humans, and we highlight some examples of such impact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carolyn J. Brown
- Molecular Epigenetics Group, Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
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3
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Naue J. Getting the chronological age out of DNA: using insights of age-dependent DNA methylation for forensic DNA applications. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:1239-1261. [PMID: 37253906 PMCID: PMC10504122 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01392-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA analysis for forensic investigations has a long tradition with important developments and optimizations since its first application. Traditionally, short tandem repeats analysis has been the most powerful method for the identification of individuals. However, in addition, epigenetic changes, i.e., DNA methylation, came into focus of forensic DNA research. Chronological age prediction is one promising application to allow for narrowing the pool of possible individuals who caused a trace, as well as to support the identification of unknown bodies and for age verification of living individuals. OBJECTIVE This review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge, possibilities, and (current) limitations about DNA methylation-based chronological age prediction with emphasis on forensic application. METHODS The development, implementation and application of age prediction tools requires a deep understanding about the biological background, the analysis methods, the age-dependent DNA methylation markers, as well as the mathematical models for age prediction and their evaluation. Furthermore, additional influences can have an impact. Therefore, the literature was evaluated in respect to these diverse topics. CONCLUSION The numerous research efforts in recent years have led to a rapid change in our understanding of the application of DNA methylation for chronological age prediction, which is now on the way to implementation and validation. Knowledge of the various aspects leads to a better understanding and allows a more informed interpretation of DNAm quantification results, as well as the obtained results by the age prediction tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Naue
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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Young IC, Brabletz T, Lindley LE, Abreu M, Nagathihalli N, Zaika A, Briegel KJ. Multi-cancer analysis reveals universal association of oncogenic LBH expression with DNA hypomethylation and WNT-Integrin signaling pathways. Cancer Gene Ther 2023; 30:1234-1248. [PMID: 37268816 PMCID: PMC10501907 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00633-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Limb-Bud and Heart (LBH) is a developmental transcription co-factor deregulated in cancer, with reported oncogenic and tumor suppressive effects. However, LBH expression in most cancer types remains unknown, impeding understanding of its mechanistic function Here, we performed systematic bioinformatic and TMA analysis for LBH in >20 different cancer types. LBH was overexpressed in most cancers compared to normal tissues (>1.5-fold; p < 0.05), including colon-rectal, pancreatic, esophageal, liver, stomach, bladder, kidney, prostate, testicular, brain, head & neck cancers, and sarcoma, correlating with poor prognosis. The cancer types showing LBH downregulation were lung, melanoma, ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancer, while both LBH over- and under-expression were observed in hematopoietic malignancies. In cancers with LBH overexpression, the LBH locus was frequently hypomethylated, identifying DNA hypomethylation as a potential mechanism for LBH dysregulation. Pathway analysis identified a universal, prognostically significant correlation between LBH overexpression and the WNT-Integrin signaling pathways. Validation of the clinical association of LBH with WNT activation in gastrointestinal cancer cell lines, and in colorectal patient samples by IHC uncovered that LBH is specifically expressed in tumor cells with nuclear beta-catenin at the invasive front. Collectively, these data reveal a high degree of LBH dysregulation in cancer and establish LBH as pan-cancer biomarker for detecting WNT hyperactivation in clinical specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Chi Young
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Linsey E Lindley
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Maria Abreu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nagaraj Nagathihalli
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alexander Zaika
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Karoline J Briegel
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
- Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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Liu Y, Sinke L, Jonkman TH, Slieker RC, van Zwet EW, Daxinger L, Heijmans BT. The inactive X chromosome accumulates widespread epigenetic variability with age. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:135. [PMID: 37626340 PMCID: PMC10464315 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01549-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loss of epigenetic control is a hallmark of aging. Among the most prominent roles of epigenetic mechanisms is the inactivation of one of two copies of the X chromosome in females through DNA methylation. Hence, age-related disruption of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) may contribute to the aging process in women. METHODS We analyzed 9,777 CpGs on the X chromosome in whole blood samples from 2343 females and 1688 males (Illumina 450k methylation array) and replicated findings in duplicate using one whole blood and one purified monocyte data set (in total, 991/924 females/males). We used double generalized linear models to detect age-related differentially methylated CpGs (aDMCs), whose mean methylation level differs with age, and age-related variably methylated CpGs (aVMCs), whose methylation level becomes more variable with age. RESULTS In females, aDMCs were relatively uncommon (n = 33) and preferentially occurred in regions known to escape XCI. In contrast, many CpGs (n = 987) were found to display an increased variance with age (aVMCs). Of note, the replication rate of aVMCs was also high in purified monocytes (94%), indicating an independence of cell composition. aVMCs accumulated in CpG islands and regions subject to XCI suggesting that they stemmed from the inactive X. In males, carrying an active copy of the X chromosome only, aDMCs (n = 316) were primarily driven by cell composition, while aVMCs replicated well (95%) but were infrequent (n = 37). CONCLUSIONS Our results imply that age-related DNA methylation differences at the inactive X chromosome are dominated by the accumulation of variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfeng Liu
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Postzone S-5-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lucy Sinke
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Postzone S-5-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas H Jonkman
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Postzone S-5-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roderick C Slieker
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Erik W van Zwet
- Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lucia Daxinger
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan T Heijmans
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Postzone S-5-P, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Romanowska J, Nustad HE, Page CM, Denault WRP, Lee Y, Magnus MC, Haftorn KL, Gjerdevik M, Novakovic B, Saffery R, Gjessing HK, Lyle R, Magnus P, Håberg SE, Jugessur A. The X-factor in ART: does the use of assisted reproductive technologies influence DNA methylation on the X chromosome? Hum Genomics 2023; 17:35. [PMID: 37085889 PMCID: PMC10122315 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-023-00484-6] [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: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) may perturb DNA methylation (DNAm) in early embryonic development. Although a handful of epigenome-wide association studies of ART have been published, none have investigated CpGs on the X chromosome. To bridge this knowledge gap, we leveraged one of the largest collections of mother-father-newborn trios of ART and non-ART (natural) conceptions to date to investigate sex-specific DNAm differences on the X chromosome. The discovery cohort consisted of 982 ART and 963 non-ART trios from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). To verify our results from the MoBa cohort, we used an external cohort of 149 ART and 58 non-ART neonates from the Australian 'Clinical review of the Health of adults conceived following Assisted Reproductive Technologies' (CHART) study. The Illumina EPIC array was used to measure DNAm in both datasets. In the MoBa cohort, we performed a set of X-chromosome-wide association studies ('XWASs' hereafter) to search for sex-specific DNAm differences between ART and non-ART newborns. We tested several models to investigate the influence of various confounders, including parental DNAm. We also searched for differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and regions of co-methylation flanking the most significant CpGs. Additionally, we ran an analogous model to our main model on the external CHART dataset. RESULTS In the MoBa cohort, we found more differentially methylated CpGs and DMRs in girls than boys. Most of the associations persisted after controlling for parental DNAm and other confounders. Many of the significant CpGs and DMRs were in gene-promoter regions, and several of the genes linked to these CpGs are expressed in tissues relevant for both ART and sex (testis, placenta, and fallopian tube). We found no support for parental DNAm-dependent features as an explanation for the observed associations in the newborns. The most significant CpG in the boys-only analysis was in UBE2DNL, which is expressed in testes but with unknown function. The most significant CpGs in the girls-only analysis were in EIF2S3 and AMOT. These three loci also displayed differential DNAm in the CHART cohort. CONCLUSIONS Genes that co-localized with the significant CpGs and DMRs associated with ART are implicated in several key biological processes (e.g., neurodevelopment) and disorders (e.g., intellectual disability and autism). These connections are particularly compelling in light of previous findings indicating that neurodevelopmental outcomes differ in ART-conceived children compared to those naturally conceived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Romanowska
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Haakon E Nustad
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- DeepInsight, 0154, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian M Page
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - William R P Denault
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yunsung Lee
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria C Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine L Haftorn
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Gjerdevik
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
| | - Boris Novakovic
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Håkon K Gjessing
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Robert Lyle
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Per Magnus
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E Håberg
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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7
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Meijer M, Franke B, Sandi C, Klein M. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation in externalizing behaviours: A review and combined analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:104997. [PMID: 36566803 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104997] [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: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) is one of the most frequently studied epigenetic mechanisms facilitating the interplay of genomic and environmental factors, which can contribute to externalizing behaviours and related psychiatric disorders. Previous epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) for externalizing behaviours have been limited in sample size, and, therefore, candidate genes and biomarkers with robust evidence are still lacking. We 1) performed a systematic literature review of EWAS of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)- and aggression-related behaviours conducted in peripheral tissue and cord blood and 2) combined the most strongly associated DNAm sites observed in individual studies (p < 10-3) to identify candidate genes and biological systems for ADHD and aggressive behaviours. We observed enrichment for neuronal processes and neuronal cell marker genes for ADHD. Astrocyte and granulocytes cell markers among genes annotated to DNAm sites were relevant for both ADHD and aggression-related behaviours. Only 1 % of the most significant epigenetic findings for ADHD/ADHD symptoms were likely to be directly explained by genetic factors involved in ADHD. Finally, we discuss how the field would greatly benefit from larger sample sizes and harmonization of assessment instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Meijer
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Behavioural Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Laboratory of Behavioural Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marieke Klein
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
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Iannuzzi V, Bacalini MG, Franceschi C, Giuliani C. The role of genetics and epigenetics in sex differences in human survival. GENUS 2023. [DOI: 10.1186/s41118-023-00181-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractSex differences in human survival have been extensively investigated in many studies that have in part uncovered the biological determinants that promote a longer life in females with respect to males. Moreover, researches performed in the past years have prompted increased awareness about the biological effects of environmental factors that can modulate the magnitude of the sex gap in survival. Besides the genetic background, epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation, that can modulate cell function, have been particularly studied in this framework. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms in promoting female advantage from the early in life (“INNATE” features), and in influencing the magnitude of the gap in sex differences in survival and ageing (“VARIABLE” features). After briefly discussing the biological bases of sex determination in humans, we will provide much evidence showing that (i) “innate” mechanisms common to all males and to all females (both genetic and epigenetic) play a major role in sex differences in lifespan; (ii) “variable” genetic and epigenetic patterns, that vary according to context, populations and exposures to different environments, can affect the magnitude of the gap in sex differences in survival. Then we will describe recent findings in the use of epigenetic clocks to uncover sex differences in biological age and thus potentially in mortality. In conclusion, we will discuss how environmental factors cannot be kept apart from the biological factors providing evidence from the field of human ecology.
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Di Lena P, Sala C, Nardini C. Evaluation of different computational methods for DNA methylation-based biological age. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6632619. [PMID: 35794713 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years there has been a widespread interest in researching biomarkers of aging that could predict physiological vulnerability better than chronological age. Aging, in fact, is one of the most relevant risk factors for a wide range of maladies, and molecular surrogates of this phenotype could enable better patients stratification. Among the most promising of such biomarkers is DNA methylation-based biological age. Given the potential and variety of computational implementations (epigenetic clocks), we here present a systematic review of such clocks. Furthermore, we provide a large-scale performance comparison across different tissues and diseases in terms of age prediction accuracy and age acceleration, a measure of deviance from physiology. Our analysis offers both a state-of-the-art overview of the computational techniques developed so far and a heterogeneous picture of performances, which can be helpful in orienting future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Di Lena
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, Mura Anteo Zamboni 7, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudia Sala
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy
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10
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Bohlin J, Page CM, Lee Y, Pettersson JHO, Jugessur A, Magnus P, Håberg SE. Age and sex effects on DNA methylation sites linked to genes implicated in severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269105. [PMID: 35679253 PMCID: PMC9182232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male sex and advanced age are associated with severe symptoms of COVID-19. Sex and age also exhibit substantial associations with genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in humans. Using a random sample of Illumina EPIC-based genome-wide methylomes from peripheral whole blood of 1,976 parents, participating in The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), we explored whether DNAm in genes linked to SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and to severe COVID-19 were associated with sex and age. This was carried out by testing 1,572 DNAm sites (CpGs) located near 45 genes for associations with age and sex. We found that DNAm in 281 and 231 of 1,572 CpGs were associated (pFDR<0.01) with sex and aging, respectively. CpGs linked to SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry genes were all associated with age and sex, except for the ACE2 receptor gene (located on the X-chromosome), which was only associated with sex (pFDR<0.01). Furthermore, we examined whether 1,487 autosomal CpGs associated with host-cell entry and severe COVID-19 were more or less associated with sex and age than what would be expected from the same number of randomly sampled genome-wide CpGs. We found that the CpGs associated with host-cell entry and severe COVID-19 were not more or less associated with sex (R2 = 0.77, p = 0.09) than the CpGs sampled from random genomic regions; age was actually found to be significantly less so (R2 = 0.36, p = 0.04). Hence, while we found wide-spread associations between sex and age at CpGs linked to genes implicated with SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and severe COVID-19, the effect from the sum of these CpGs was not stronger than that from randomly sampled CpGs; for age it was significantly less so. These findings could suggest that advanced age and male sex may not be unsurmountable barriers for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to evolve increased infectiousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Bohlin
- Department of Method Development and analytics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Christian M. Page
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yunsung Lee
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - John H.-O. Pettersson
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, the University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Per Magnus
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri E. Håberg
- Center for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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11
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Yan J, Ye G, Shao Y. High expression of the ferroptosis-associated MGST1 gene in relation to poor outcome and maladjusted immune cell infiltration in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24317. [PMID: 35218676 PMCID: PMC8993612 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) tightly correlates with dysregulated iron homeostasis. MGST1 (microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1) involves in the regulation of oxidative stress and plays a key role in inhibiting iron-mediated cell death in cancer cells. Hence, we aimed to illuminate the characteristics of MGST1 expression and prognosis in UCEC using bioinformatics prediction to provide novel perspectives for theoretical supplementation and ferroptosis-based immunotherapy. METHODS We retrieved MGST1 expression data via several public data portals. The relationships between MGST1 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics as well as survival time were evaluated via multivariate methods and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The MGST1-interacting protein-protein interaction was also established by the STRING website. The TIMER and GEPIA databases were used to illustrate the association between MGST1 expression and infiltrated immune cells. We used the MethSurv website and the UALCAN website to determine the relationship between MGST1 expression and DNA methylation. RESULTS MGST1 overexpression in UCEC compared with normal tissues correlates with different histological types, a lack of hormone therapy and poor survival time. MGST1 interacts with several ferroptosis-related proteins. Overexpression of MGST1 was accompanied by lower levels of NK cell and CD8+ T cell infiltration, higher myeloid-derived suppressor cell infiltration and different immunocytes with corresponding markers. Hypermethylation and low promoter methylation cooperate to regulate MGST1 expression. CONCLUSION Elevated MGST1 expression is related to tumour development and poor prognosis, as well as dysregulated infiltration of immune cells in UCEC, which can be a potential prognostic indicator and ferroptosis-based immunotherapy target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Yan
- The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Guoliang Ye
- The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yongfu Shao
- The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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12
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Redhu N, Thakur Z. Network biology and applications. Bioinformatics 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-89775-4.00024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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13
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Planterose Jiménez B, Kayser M, Vidaki A. Revisiting genetic artifacts on DNA methylation microarrays exposes novel biological implications. Genome Biol 2021; 22:274. [PMID: 34548083 PMCID: PMC8454075 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02484-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Illumina DNA methylation microarrays enable epigenome-wide analysis vastly used for the discovery of novel DNA methylation variation in health and disease. However, the microarrays' probe design cannot fully consider the vast human genetic diversity, leading to genetic artifacts. Distinguishing genuine from artifactual genetic influence is of particular relevance in the study of DNA methylation heritability and methylation quantitative trait loci. But despite its importance, current strategies to account for genetic artifacts are lagging due to a limited mechanistic understanding on how such artifacts operate. RESULTS To address this, we develop and benchmark UMtools, an R-package containing novel methods for the quantification and qualification of genetic artifacts based on fluorescence intensity signals. With our approach, we model and validate known SNPs/indels on a genetically controlled dataset of monozygotic twins, and we estimate minor allele frequency from DNA methylation data and empirically detect variants not included in dbSNP. Moreover, we identify examples where genetic artifacts interact with each other or with imprinting, X-inactivation, or tissue-specific regulation. Finally, we propose a novel strategy based on co-methylation that can discern between genetic artifacts and genuine genomic influence. CONCLUSIONS We provide an atlas to navigate through the huge diversity of genetic artifacts encountered on DNA methylation microarrays. Overall, our study sets the ground for a paradigm shift in the study of the genetic component of epigenetic variation in DNA methylation microarrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Planterose Jiménez
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Genetic Identification, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Manfred Kayser
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Genetic Identification, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Athina Vidaki
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Genetic Identification, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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14
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Tan Q, Li S, Sørensen M, Nygaard M, Mengel‐From J, Christensen K. Age patterns of intra-pair DNA methylation discordance in twins: Sex difference in epigenomic instability and implication on survival. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13460. [PMID: 34427971 PMCID: PMC8441297 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a biological process linked to specific patterns and changes in the epigenome. We hypothesize that age‐related variation in the DNA methylome could reflect cumulative environmental modulation to the epigenome which could impact epigenomic instability and survival differentially by sex. To test the hypothesis, we performed sex‐stratified epigenome‐wide association studies on age‐related intra‐pair DNA methylation discordance in 492 twins aged 56–80 years. We identified 3084 CpGs showing increased methylation variability with age (FDR < 0.05, 7 CpGs with p < 1e‐07) in male twins but no significant site found in female twins. The results were replicated in an independent cohort of 292 twins aged 30–74 years with 37% of the discovery CpGs successfully replicated in male twins. Functional annotation showed that genes linked to the identified CpGs were significantly enriched in signaling pathways, neurological functions, extracellular matrix assembly, and cancer. We further explored the implication of discovery CpGs on individual survival in an old cohort of 224 twins (220 deceased). In total, 264 CpGs displayed significant association with risk of death in male twins. In female twins, 175 of the male discovery CpGs also showed non‐random correlation with mortality. Intra‐pair comparison showed that majority of the discovery CpGs have higher methylation in the longer‐lived twins suggesting that loss of DNA methylation during aging contributes to increased risk of death which is more pronounced in male twins. In conclusion, age‐related epigenomic instability in the DNA methylome is more evident in males than in females and could impact individual survival and contribute to sex difference in human lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihua Tan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
- Unit of Human Genetics Department of Clinical Research University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
| | - Shuxia Li
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
| | - Mette Sørensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
| | - Marianne Nygaard
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
| | - Jonas Mengel‐From
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography Department of Public Health University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
- Unit of Human Genetics Department of Clinical Research University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
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15
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Kananen L, Marttila S. Ageing-associated changes in DNA methylation in X and Y chromosomes. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:33. [PMID: 34215292 PMCID: PMC8254238 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ageing displays clear sexual dimorphism, evident in both morbidity and mortality. Ageing is also associated with changes in DNA methylation, but very little focus has been on the sex chromosomes, potential biological contributors to the observed sexual dimorphism. Here, we sought to identify DNA methylation changes associated with ageing in the Y and X chromosomes, by utilizing datasets available in data repositories, comprising in total of 1240 males and 1191 females, aged 14–92 years. Results In total, we identified 46 age-associated CpG sites in the male Y, 1327 age-associated CpG sites in the male X, and 325 age-associated CpG sites in the female X. The X chromosomal age-associated CpGs showed significant overlap between females and males, with 122 CpGs identified as age-associated in both sexes. Age-associated X chromosomal CpGs in both sexes were enriched in CpG islands and depleted from gene bodies and showed no strong trend towards hypermethylation nor hypomethylation. In contrast, the Y chromosomal age-associated CpGs were enriched in gene bodies, and showed a clear trend towards hypermethylation with age. Conclusions Significant overlap in X chromosomal age-associated CpGs identified in males and females and their shared features suggest that despite the uneven chromosomal dosage, differences in ageing-associated DNA methylation changes in the X chromosome are unlikely to be a major contributor of sex dimorphism in ageing. While age-associated CpGs showed good replication across datasets in the present study, only a limited set of previously reported age-associated CpGs were replicated. One contributor to the limited overlap are differences in the age range of individuals included in each data set. Further study is needed to identify biologically significant age-associated CpGs in the sex chromosomes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13072-021-00407-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kananen
- Faculty of Social Sciences (Health Sciences), Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. .,Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. .,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Gerontology Research Center, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Saara Marttila
- Gerontology Research Center, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. .,Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
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16
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Hägg S, Jylhävä J. Sex differences in biological aging with a focus on human studies. eLife 2021; 10:e63425. [PMID: 33982659 PMCID: PMC8118651 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex biological process characterized by hallmark features accumulating over the life course, shaping the individual's aging trajectory and subsequent disease risks. There is substantial individual variability in the aging process between men and women. In general, women live longer than men, consistent with lower biological ages as assessed by molecular biomarkers, but there is a paradox. Women are frailer and have worse health at the end of life, while men still perform better in physical function examinations. Moreover, many age-related diseases show sex-specific patterns. In this review, we aim to summarize the current knowledge on sexual dimorphism in human studies, with support from animal research, on biological aging and illnesses. We also attempt to place it in the context of the theories of aging, as well as discuss the explanations for the sex differences, for example, the sex-chromosome linked mechanisms and hormonally driven differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hägg
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Juulia Jylhävä
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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17
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Yu C, Wong EM, Joo JE, Hodge AM, Makalic E, Schmidt D, Buchanan DD, Severi G, Hopper JL, English DR, Giles GG, Southey MC, Dugué PA. Epigenetic Drift Association with Cancer Risk and Survival, and Modification by Sex. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081881. [PMID: 33919912 PMCID: PMC8070898 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ageing is the strongest cancer risk factor, and men and women exhibit different risk profiles in terms of incidence and survival. DNA methylation is known to strongly vary by age and sex. Epigenetic drift refers to age-related DNA methylation changes and the tendency for increasing discordance between epigenomes over time, but it remains unknown to what extent the epigenetic drift contributes to cancer risk and survival. The aims of this study were to identify age-associated, sex-associated and sexually dimorphic age-associated (age-by-sex-associated) DNA methylation markers and investigate whether age- and age-by-sex-associated markers are associated with cancer risk and survival. Our study, which used a total of 2754 matched case–control pairs with DNA methylation in pre-diagnostic blood, is the first large study to examine the association between sex-specific epigenetic drift and cancer development and progression. The results may be useful for cancer early diagnosis and prediction of prognosis. Abstract To investigate age- and sex-specific DNA methylation alterations related to cancer risk and survival, we used matched case–control studies of colorectal (n = 835), gastric (n = 170), kidney (n = 143), lung (n = 332), prostate (n = 869) and urothelial (n = 428) cancers, and mature B-cell lymphoma (n = 438). Linear mixed-effects models were conducted to identify age-, sex- and age-by-sex-associated methylation markers using a discovery (controls)-replication (cases) strategy. Replication was further examined using summary statistics from Generation Scotland (GS). Associations between replicated markers and risk of and survival from cancer were assessed using conditional logistic regression and Cox models (hazard ratios (HR)), respectively. We found 32,659, 23,141 and 48 CpGs with replicated associations for age, sex and age-by-sex, respectively. The replication rates for these CpGs using GS summary data were 94%, 86% and 91%, respectively. Significant associations for cancer risk and survival were identified at some individual age-related CpGs. Opposite to previous findings using epigenetic clocks, there was a strong negative trend in the association between epigenetic drift and risk of colorectal cancer. Methylation at two CpGs overlapping TMEM49 and ARX genes was associated with survival of overall (HR = 0.91, p = 7.7 × 10−4) and colorectal (HR = 1.52, p = 1.8 × 10−4) cancer, respectively, with significant age-by-sex interaction. Our results may provide markers for cancer early detection and prognosis prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Yu
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; (C.Y.); (E.M.W.); (G.G.G.); (M.C.S.)
| | - Ee Ming Wong
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; (C.Y.); (E.M.W.); (G.G.G.); (M.C.S.)
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Jihoon Eric Joo
- Colorectal Oncogenomics Group, Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (J.E.J.); (D.D.B.)
- University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Allison M. Hodge
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.E.)
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Enes Makalic
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Daniel Schmidt
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Daniel D. Buchanan
- Colorectal Oncogenomics Group, Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (J.E.J.); (D.D.B.)
- University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Genomic Medicine and Family Cancer Clinic, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Gianluca Severi
- Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations (CESP, Inserm U1018), Facultés de Médecine Universités Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France;
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science and Applications “G. Parenti”, University of Florence, 50121 Firenze, Italy
| | - John L. Hopper
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Dallas R. English
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.E.)
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Graham G. Giles
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; (C.Y.); (E.M.W.); (G.G.G.); (M.C.S.)
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.E.)
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
| | - Melissa C. Southey
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; (C.Y.); (E.M.W.); (G.G.G.); (M.C.S.)
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.E.)
| | - Pierre-Antoine Dugué
- Precision Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; (C.Y.); (E.M.W.); (G.G.G.); (M.C.S.)
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; (A.M.H.); (D.R.E.)
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (E.M.); (D.S.); (J.L.H.)
- Correspondence:
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18
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Vidaki A, Montiel González D, Planterose Jiménez B, Kayser M. Male-specific age estimation based on Y-chromosomal DNA methylation. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:6442-6458. [PMID: 33744870 PMCID: PMC7993701 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202775] [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: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Although DNA methylation variation of autosomal CpGs provides robust age predictive biomarkers, no male-specific age predictor exists based on Y-CpGs yet. Since sex chromosomes play an important role in aging, a Y-chromosome-based age predictor would allow studying male-specific aging effects and would also be useful in forensics. Here, we used blood-based DNA methylation microarray data of 1,057 males from six cohorts aged 15-87 and identified 75 Y-CpGs with an interquartile range of ≥0.1. Of these, 22 and six were significantly hyper- and hypomethylated with age (p(cor)<0.05, Bonferroni), respectively. Amongst several machine learning algorithms, a model based on support vector machines with radial kernel performed best in male-specific age prediction. We achieved a mean absolute deviation (MAD) between true and predicted age of 7.54 years (cor=0.81, validation) when using all 75 Y-CpGs, and a MAD of 8.46 years (cor=0.73, validation) based on the most predictive 19 Y-CpGs. The accuracies of both age predictors did not worsen with increased age, in contrast to autosomal CpG-based age predictors that are known to predict age with reduced accuracy in the elderly. Overall, we introduce the first-of-its-kind male-specific epigenetic age predictor for future applications in aging research and forensics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athina Vidaki
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000, CA, The Netherlands
| | - Diego Montiel González
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000, CA, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Planterose Jiménez
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000, CA, The Netherlands
| | - Manfred Kayser
- Department of Genetic Identification, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam 3000, CA, The Netherlands
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19
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Mengel-From J, Lindahl-Jacobsen R, Nygaard M, Soerensen M, Ørstavik KH, Hertz JM, Andersen-Ranberg K, Tan Q, Christensen K. Skewness of X-chromosome inactivation increases with age and varies across birth cohorts in elderly Danish women. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4326. [PMID: 33619309 PMCID: PMC7900237 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83702-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosaicism in blood varies with age, and cross-sectional studies indicate that for women, skewness of X-chromosomal mosaicism increases with age. This pattern could, however, also be due to less X-inactivation in more recent birth cohorts. Skewed X-chromosome inactivation was here measured longitudinally by the HUMARA assay in 67 septuagenarian and octogenarian women assessed at 2 time points, 10 years apart, and in 10 centenarian women assessed at 2 time points, 2–7 years apart. Skewed X-chromosome inactivation was also compared in 293 age-matched septuagenarian twins born in 1917–1923 and 1931–1937, and 212 centenarians born in 1895, 1905 and 1915. The longitudinal study of septuagenarians and octogenarians revealed that 16% (95% CI 7–29%) of the women developed skewed X-inactivation over a 10-year period. In the cross-sectional across-birth cohort study, the earlier-born septuagenarian (1917–1923) and centenarian women (1895) had a higher degree of skewness than the respective recent age-matched birth cohorts, which indicates that the women in the more recent cohorts, after the age of 70, had not only changed degree of skewness with age, they had also undergone less age-related hematopoietic sub-clone expansion. This may be a result of improved living conditions and better medical treatment in the more recent birth cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Mengel-From
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark. .,Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Rune Lindahl-Jacobsen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics (CPop), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Marianne Nygaard
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mette Soerensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Jens Michael Hertz
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Karen Andersen-Ranberg
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Geriatric Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Qihua Tan
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, the Danish Twin Registry, and the Danish Aging Research Center, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5000, Odense C, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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20
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Lund JB, Li W, Mohammadnejad A, Li S, Baumbach J, Tan Q. EWASex: an efficient R-package to predict sex in epigenome-wide association studies. Bioinformatics 2020; 37:btaa949. [PMID: 33313760 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Epigenome-Wide Association Study (EWAS) has become a powerful approach to identify epigenetic variations associated with diseases or health traits. Sex is an important variable to include in EWAS to ensure unbiased data processing and statistical analysis. We introduce the R-package EWASex, which allows for fast and highly accurate sex-estimation using DNA methylation data on a small set of CpG sites located on the X-chromosome under stable X-chromosome inactivation in females. RESULTS We demonstrate that EWASex outperforms the current state of the art tools by using different EWAS datasets. With EWASex, we offer an efficient way to predict and to verify sex that can be easily implemented in any EWAS using blood samples or even other tissue types. It comes with pre-trained weights to work without prior sex labels and without requiring access to RAW data, which is a necessity for all currently available methods. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The EWASex R-package along with tutorials, documentation and source code are available at https://github.com/Silver-Hawk/EWASex. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Beltoft Lund
- Digital Health & Machine Learning Research Group, Hasso Plattner Institut for Digital Engineering, 14467 Potsdam, Germany
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Weilong Li
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Afsaneh Mohammadnejad
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Shuxia Li
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jan Baumbach
- Chair of Experimental Bioinformatics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
- Computational BioMedicine Lab, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Qihua Tan
- Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
- Computational BioMedicine Lab, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, 5000 Odense, Denmark
- Unit of Human Genetics, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
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21
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Yusipov I, Bacalini MG, Kalyakulina A, Krivonosov M, Pirazzini C, Gensous N, Ravaioli F, Milazzo M, Giuliani C, Vedunova M, Fiorito G, Gagliardi A, Polidoro S, Garagnani P, Ivanchenko M, Franceschi C. Age-related DNA methylation changes are sex-specific: a comprehensive assessment. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:24057-24080. [PMID: 33276343 PMCID: PMC7762479 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The existence of a sex gap in human health and longevity has been widely documented. Autosomal DNA methylation differences between males and females have been reported, but so far few studies have investigated if DNA methylation is differently affected by aging in males and females. We performed a meta-analysis of 4 large whole blood datasets, comparing 4 aspects of epigenetic age-dependent remodeling between the two sexes: differential methylation, variability, epimutations and entropy. We reported that a large fraction (43%) of sex-associated probes undergoes age-associated DNA methylation changes, and that a limited number of probes show age-by-sex interaction. We experimentally validated 2 regions mapping in FIGN and PRR4 genes and showed sex-specific deviations of their methylation patterns in models of decelerated (centenarians) and accelerated (Down syndrome) aging. While we did not find sex differences in the age-associated increase in epimutations and entropy, we showed that the number of probes having an age-related increase in methylation variability is 15 times higher in males compared to females. Our results can offer new epigenetic tools to study the interaction between aging and sex and can pave the way to the identification of molecular triggers of sex differences in longevity and age-related diseases prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Yusipov
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.,Mathematics of Future Technologies Center, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - Alena Kalyakulina
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
| | - Mikhail Krivonosov
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
| | - Chiara Pirazzini
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Noémie Gensous
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Ravaioli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maddalena Milazzo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Giuliani
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology and Centre for Genome Biology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Maria Vedunova
- Institute of Biology and Biomedicine, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Nizhni Novgorod, Russia
| | - Giovanni Fiorito
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Italy.,Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, MRC/HPA Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Amedeo Gagliardi
- Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), Candiolo 10060, Italy.,Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo 10060, Italy
| | - Silvia Polidoro
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, MRC/HPA Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK.,Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), Candiolo 10060, Italy.,Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo 10060, Italy
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.,Applied Biomedical Research Center (CRBA), Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic, Bologna, Italy.,CNR Institute of Molecular Genetics “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Unit of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mikhail Ivanchenko
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.,Mathematics of Future Technologies Center, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
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22
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The sex chromosomes of the aging epigenome. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:16667-16668. [PMID: 32868485 PMCID: PMC7521499 DOI: 10.18632/aging.104033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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23
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Perrotta F, Corbi G, Mazzeo G, Boccia M, Aronne L, D'Agnano V, Komici K, Mazzarella G, Parrella R, Bianco A. COVID-19 and the elderly: insights into pathogenesis and clinical decision-making. Aging Clin Exp Res 2020; 32:1599-1608. [PMID: 32557332 PMCID: PMC7298699 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-020-01631-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The elderly may represent a specific cluster of high-risk patients for developing COVID-19 with rapidly progressive clinical deterioration. Indeed, in older individuals, immunosenescence and comorbid disorders are more likely to promote viral-induced cytokine storm resulting in life-threatening respiratory failure and multisystemic involvement. Early diagnosis and individualized therapeutic management should be developed for elderly subjects based on personal medical history and polypharmacotherapy. Our review examines the pathogenesis and clinical implications of ageing in COVID-19 patients; finally, we discuss the evidence and controversies in the management in the long-stay residential care homes and aspects of end-of-life care for elderly patients with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Perrotta
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, "Vincenzo Tiberio", University of Molise, Via Francesco De Sanctis, 86100, Campobasso, Italy.
| | - Graziamaria Corbi
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, "Vincenzo Tiberio", University of Molise, Via Francesco De Sanctis, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
- Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Florence, Italy
| | - Grazia Mazzeo
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
- COVID-19 Unit, Infectious Disease Department, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Matilde Boccia
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Aronne
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Vito D'Agnano
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Klara Komici
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, "Vincenzo Tiberio", University of Molise, Via Francesco De Sanctis, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
- Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Florence, Italy
| | - Gennaro Mazzarella
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberto Parrella
- COVID Unit D, Department of Infectious Diseases, Cotugno Hospital, A.O.R.N. dei Colli, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Bianco
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli"/Hosp. Monaldi, 80131, Naples, Italy
- COVID-19 Unit, Infectious Disease Department, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80131, Naples, Italy
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