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Reed RG, Hillmann AR, Nation M, Braksator S, Sigler K. Remote dried blood spot collection for inflammatory markers in older adults is feasible, reliable, and valid. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 120:545-553. [PMID: 38971206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Dried blood spots (DBS) provide a minimally invasive method to assess inflammatory markers and can be collected remotely at-home or in-person in the lab. However, there is a lack of methodological information comparing these different collection methods and in older adults. We investigated the feasibility (including adherence, yield, quality, and participant preferences) and measurement properties (reliability, validity) of remotely collected DBS inflammatory markers in older adults. Participants (N = 167, mean age = 72, range: 60-96 years) collected their own DBS (finger prick on filter paper) during three remote interviews over ∼ 6 months. Within 4-5 days on average of their last remote interview, a subset of 41 participants also attended an in-person lab visit that included a researcher-collected DBS sample, venous blood draw, and survey to assess participant preferences of DBS collection. DBS and venous blood were assayed for CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α. Adherence: 98% of expected DBS samples (493 out of 501) were completed and mailed back to the lab. Yield: 97% of DBS samples were sufficient for all assays. Quality: On average, 0.80 fewer optimal spots (60uL of blood that filled the entire circle) were obtained remotely vs. in-person (p = 0.013), but the number of useable or better spots (at least 30-40uL of blood) did not differ (p = 0.89). Preference: A slight majority of participants (54%) preferred in-person DBS collection. Reliability: DBS test-retest reliabilities were good: CRP (ICC = 0.74), IL-6 (ICC = 0.76), and TNF-α (ICC = 0.70). Validity: Inflammatory levels from DBS correlated strongly with levels from venous blood (r = 0.60-0.99) and correlated as expected with sociodemographic and physical health and function variables. Older adults can remotely collect their own DBS to acquire reliable and valid inflammatory data. Remote DBS collection is highly feasible and may allow for inflammatory markers to be assessed in larger, more representative samples than are possible with lab- or clinic-based research designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Reed
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| | - Abby R Hillmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Maegan Nation
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Shay Braksator
- Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kirby Sigler
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Gorzkiewicz M, Łoś-Rycharska E, Gawryjołek J, Gołębiewski M, Krogulska A, Grzybowski T. The methylation profile of IL4, IL5, IL10, IFNG and FOXP3 associated with environmental exposures differed between Polish infants with the food allergy and/or atopic dermatitis and without the disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1209190. [PMID: 37520545 PMCID: PMC10373304 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1209190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Epigenetic dynamics has been indicated to play a role in allergy development. The environmental stimuli have been shown to influence the methylation processes. This study investigated the differences in CpGs methylation rate of immune-attached genes between healthy and allergic infants. The research was aimed at finding evidence for the impact of environmental factors on methylation-based regulation of immunological processes in early childhood. Methods The analysis of methylation level of CpGs in the IL4, IL5, IL10, IFNG and FOXP3 genes was performed using high resolution melt real time PCR technology. DNA was isolated from whole blood of Polish healthy and allergic infants, with food allergy and/or atopic dermatitis, aged under six months. Results The significantly lower methylation level of FOXP3 among allergic infants compared to healthy ones was reported. Additional differences in methylation rates were found, when combining with environmental factors. In different studied groups, negative correlations between age and the IL10 and FOXP3 methylation were detected, and positive - in the case of IL4. Among infants with different allergy symptoms, the decrease in methylation level of IFNG, IL10, IL4 and FOXP3 associated with passive smoke exposure was observed. Complications during pregnancy were linked to different pattern of the IFNG, IL5, IL4 and IL10 methylation depending on allergy status. The IFNG and IL5 methylation rates were higher among exclusively breastfed infants with atopic dermatitis compared to the non-breastfed. A decrease in the IFNG methylation was noted among allergic patients fed exclusively with milk formula. In different study groups, a negative correlation between IFNG, IL5 methylation and maternal BMI or IL5 methylation and weight was noted. Some positive correlations between methylation rate of IL10 and child's weight were found. A higher methylation of IL4 was positively correlated with the number of family members with allergy. Conclusion The FOXP3 methylation in allergic infants was lower than in the healthy ones. The methylation profile of IL4, IL5, IL10, IFNG and FOXP3 associated with environmental exposures differed between the studied groups. The results offer insights into epigenetic regulation of immunological response in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gorzkiewicz
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Ewa Łoś-Rycharska
- Department of Pediatrics, Allergology and Gastroenterology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Julia Gawryjołek
- Department of Pediatrics, Allergology and Gastroenterology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Marcin Gołębiewski
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Modern Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Aneta Krogulska
- Department of Pediatrics, Allergology and Gastroenterology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Tomasz Grzybowski
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
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Llobet MO, Johansson A, Gyllensten U, Allen M, Enroth S. Forensic prediction of sex, age, height, body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio, smoking status and lipid lowering drugs using epigenetic markers and plasma proteins. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2023; 65:102871. [PMID: 37054667 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2023.102871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The prediction of human characteristics from blood using molecular markers would be very helpful in forensic science. Such information can be particularly important in providing investigative leads in police casework from, for example, blood found at crime scenes in cases without a suspect. Here, we investigated the possibilities and limitations of predicting seven phenotypic traits (sex, age, height, body mass index [BMI], hip-to-waist [WTH] ratio, smoking status and lipid-lowering drug use) using either DNA methylation or plasma proteins separately or in combination. We developed a prediction pipeline starting with the prediction of sex followed by sex-specific, stepwise, individual age, sex-specific anthropometric traits and, finally, lifestyle-related traits. Our data revealed that age, sex and smoking status can be accurately predicted from DNA methylation alone, while the use of plasma proteins was highly accurate for prediction of the WTH ratio, and a combined analysis of the best predictions for BMI and lipid-lowering drug use. In unseen individuals, age was predicted with a standard error of 3.3 years for women and 6.5 years for men, while the accuracy in smoking prediction across both men and women was 0.86. In conclusion, we have developed a stepwise approach for the de-novo prediction of individual characteristics from plasma proteins and DNA methylation markers. These models are accurate and may provide valuable information and investigative leads in future forensic casework.
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Nabais MF, Gadd DA, Hannon E, Mill J, McRae AF, Wray NR. An overview of DNA methylation-derived trait score methods and applications. Genome Biol 2023; 24:28. [PMID: 36797751 PMCID: PMC9936670 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02855-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Microarray technology has been used to measure genome-wide DNA methylation in thousands of individuals. These studies typically test the associations between individual DNA methylation sites ("probes") and complex traits or diseases. The results can be used to generate methylation profile scores (MPS) to predict outcomes in independent data sets. Although there are many parallels between MPS and polygenic (risk) scores (PGS), there are key differences. Here, we review motivations, methods, and applications of DNA methylation-based trait prediction, with a focus on common diseases. We contrast MPS with PGS, highlighting where assumptions made in genetic modeling may not hold in epigenetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta F Nabais
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
- University of Exeter Medical School, RILD Building, RD&E Hospital Wonford, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Danni A Gadd
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Eilis Hannon
- University of Exeter Medical School, RILD Building, RD&E Hospital Wonford, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- University of Exeter Medical School, RILD Building, RD&E Hospital Wonford, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW, UK
| | - Allan F McRae
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Naomi R Wray
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
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Blackwell AD, Garcia AR. Ecoimmunology in the field: Measuring multiple dimensions of immune function with minimally invasive, field-adapted techniques. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23784. [PMID: 35861267 PMCID: PMC9786696 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Immune function is multifaceted and characterizations based on single biomarkers may be uninformative or misleading, particularly when considered across ecological contexts. However, measuring the many facets of immunity in the field can be challenging, since many measures cannot be obtained on-site, necessitating sample preservation and transport. Here we assess state-of-the-art methods for measuring immunity, focusing on measures that require a minimal blood sample obtained from a finger prick, which can be: (1) dried on filter paper, (2) frozen in liquid nitrogen, or (3) stabilized with chemical reagents. RESULTS We review immune measures that can be obtained from point-of-care devices or from immunoassays of dried blood spots (DBSs), field methods for flow cytometry, the use of RNA or DNA sequencing and quantification, and the application of immune activation assays under field conditions. CONCLUSIONS Stable protein products, such as immunoglobulins and C-reactive protein are reliably measured in DBSs. Because less stable proteins, such as cytokines, may be problematic to measure even in fresh blood, mRNA from stabilized blood may provide a cleaner measure of cytokine and broader immune-related gene expression. Gene methylation assays or mRNA sequencing also allow for the quantification of many other parameters, including the inference of leukocyte subsets, though with less accuracy than with flow cytometry. Combining these techniques provides an improvement over single-marker studies, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of how social and ecological variables are linked to immune measures and disease risk in diverse populations and settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D. Blackwell
- Department of AnthropologyWashington State UniversityPullmanWashingtonUSA
| | - Angela R. Garcia
- Research DepartmentPhoenix Children's HospitalPhoenixArizonaUSA,Department of Child HealthUniversity of Arizona College of MedicinePhoenixArizonaUSA
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Anis L, Letourneau N, Ross KM, Hart M, Graham I, Lalonde S, Varro S, Baldwin A, Soulsby A, Majnemer A, Donnelly C, Piotrowski C, Collier C, Lindeman C, Goldowitz D, Isaac D, Thomson D, Serré D, Citro E, Zimmermann G, Pliszka H, Mann J, Baumann J, Piekarski J, Dalton JA, Johnson-Green J, Wood K, Bruce M, Santana M, Mayer M, Gould M, Kobor M, Flowers M, Haywood M, Koerner M, Parker N, Muhajarine N, Fairie P, Chrishti R, Perry R, Merrill S, Pociuk S, StephanieTaylor, Cole S, Murphy T, Marchment T, Xavier V, Shajani Z, West Z. Study protocol for Attachment & Child Health (ATTACHTM) program: promoting vulnerable Children’s health at scale. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:491. [PMID: 35986306 PMCID: PMC9388995 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03439-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Children’s exposure to toxic stress (e.g., parental depression, violence, poverty) predicts developmental and physical health problems resulting in health care system burden. Supporting parents to develop parenting skills can buffer the effects of toxic stress, leading to healthier outcomes for those children. Parenting interventions that focus on promoting parental reflective function (RF), i.e., parents’ capacity for insight into their child’s and their own thoughts, feelings, and mental states, may understand help reduce societal health inequities stemming from childhood stress exposures. The Attachment and Child Health (ATTACHTM) program has been implemented and tested in seven rapid-cycling pilot studies (n = 64) and found to significantly improve parents’ RF in the domains of attachment, parenting quality, immune function, and children’s cognitive and motor development. The purpose of the study is to conduct an effectiveness-implementation hybrid (EIH) Type II study of ATTACHTM to assess its impacts in naturalistic, real-world settings delivered by community agencies rather than researchers under more controlled conditions. Methods The study is comprised of a quantitative pre/post-test quasi-experimental evaluation of the ATTACHTM program, and a qualitative examination of implementation feasibility using thematic analysis via Normalization Process Theory (NPT). We will work with 100 families and their children (birth to 36-months-old). Study outcomes include: the Parent Child Interaction Teaching Scale to assess parent-child interaction; the Parental Reflective Function and Reflective Function Questionnaires to assess RF; and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire – 3rd edition to examine child development, all administered pre-, post-, and 3-month-delayed post-assessment. Blood samples will be collected pre- and post- assessment to assess immune biomarkers. Further, we will conduct one-on-one interviews with study participants, health and social service providers, and administrators (total n = 60) from each collaborating agency, using NPT to explore perceptions and experiences of intervention uptake, the fidelity assessment tool and e-learning training as well as the benefits, barriers, and challenges to ATTACHTM implementation. Discussion The proposed study will assess effectiveness and implementation to help understand the delivery of ATTACHTM in community agencies. Trial registration Name of registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/. Registration number: NCT04853888. Date of registration: April 22, 2021. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-022-03439-3.
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Xu K, Li S, Muskens IS, Elliott N, Myint SS, Pandey P, Hansen HM, Morimoto LM, Kang AY, Ma X, Metayer C, Mueller BA, Roberts I, Walsh K, Horvath S, Wiemels JL, de Smith AJ. Accelerated epigenetic aging in newborns with Down syndrome. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13652. [PMID: 35661546 PMCID: PMC9282838 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Accelerated aging is a hallmark of Down syndrome (DS), with adults experiencing early-onset Alzheimer's disease and premature aging of the skin, hair, and immune and endocrine systems. Accelerated epigenetic aging has been found in the blood and brain tissue of adults with DS but when premature aging in DS begins remains unknown. We investigated whether accelerated aging in DS is already detectable in blood at birth. We assessed the association between age acceleration and DS using five epigenetic clocks in 346 newborns with DS and 567 newborns without DS using Illumina MethylationEPIC DNA methylation array data. We compared two epigenetic aging clocks (DNAmSkinBloodClock and pan-tissue DNAmAge) and three epigenetic gestational age clocks (Haftorn, Knight, and Bohlin) between DS and non-DS newborns using linear regression adjusting for observed age, sex, batch, deconvoluted blood cell proportions, and genetic ancestry. Targeted sequencing of GATA1 was performed in a subset of 184 newborns with DS to identify somatic mutations associated with transient abnormal myelopoiesis. DS was significantly associated with increased DNAmSkinBloodClock (effect estimate = 0.2442, p < 0.0001), with an epigenetic age acceleration of 244 days in newborns with DS after adjusting for potential confounding factors (95% confidence interval: 196-292 days). We also found evidence of epigenetic age acceleration associated with somatic GATA1 mutations among newborns with DS (p = 0.015). DS was not associated with epigenetic gestational age acceleration. We demonstrate that accelerated epigenetic aging in the blood of DS patients begins prenatally, with implications for the pathophysiology of immunosenescence and other aging-related traits in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Xu
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shaobo Li
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ivo S. Muskens
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Natalina Elliott
- Department of Paediatrics and MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineOxford University and BRC Blood Theme, NIHR Oxford Biomedical CentreOxfordUK
| | - Swe Swe Myint
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Priyatama Pandey
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Helen M. Hansen
- Department of Neurological SurgeryUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Libby M. Morimoto
- School of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Alice Y. Kang
- School of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Xiaomei Ma
- Department of Chronic Disease EpidemiologyYale School of Public HealthNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Catherine Metayer
- School of Public HealthUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Beth A. Mueller
- Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Irene Roberts
- Department of Paediatrics and MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular MedicineOxford University and BRC Blood Theme, NIHR Oxford Biomedical CentreOxfordUK
| | - Kyle M. Walsh
- Department of NeurosurgeryDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human GeneticsDavid Geffen School of Medicine, University of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joseph L. Wiemels
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Adam J. de Smith
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Population and Public Health SciencesKeck School of Medicine of the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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Zhuang YJ, Mangwiro Y, Wake M, Saffery R, Greaves RF. Multi-omics analysis from archival neonatal dried blood spots: limitations and opportunities. Clin Chem Lab Med 2022; 60:1318-1341. [PMID: 35670573 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2022-0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Newborn screening (NBS) programs operate in many countries, processing millions of dried bloodspot (DBS) samples annually. In addition to early identification of various adverse health outcomes, these samples have considerable potential as a resource for population-based research that could address key questions related to child health. The feasibility of archival DBS samples for emerging targeted and untargeted multi-omics analysis has not been previously explored in the literature. This review aims to critically evaluate the latest advances to identify opportunities and challenges of applying omics analyses to NBS cards in a research setting. Medline, Embase and PubMed databases were searched to identify studies utilizing DBS for genomic, proteomic and metabolomic assays. A total of 800 records were identified after removing duplicates, of which 23 records were included in this review. These papers consisted of one combined genomic/metabolomic, four genomic, three epigenomic, four proteomic and 11 metabolomic studies. Together they demonstrate that the increasing sensitivity of multi-omic analytical techniques makes the broad use of NBS samples achievable for large cohort studies. Maintaining the pre-analytical integrity of the DBS sample through storage at temperatures below -20 °C will enable this important resource to be fully realized in a research capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Jessica Zhuang
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yeukai Mangwiro
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Melissa Wake
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ronda F Greaves
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Wong EC, Fisher SC, Feldkamp ML, Romitti PA, Nestoridi E, Desrosiers TA. Factors associated with maternal consent for use of residual newborn bloodspots in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:238-248. [PMID: 35194969 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigated factors associated with maternal consent to use residual newborn dried bloodspots (DBS) in a national case-control study of birth defects. METHODS A subset of sites in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS; 1997-2011) asked participants to provide consent for investigators to retrieve DBS from local newborn screening programs to use for research on risk factors for birth defects. We assessed whether consent differed by factors including maternal age, education, parity, body mass index, language of interview, country of birth, and case-control status. RESULTS Of 5,850 mothers of cases and 2,534 mothers of controls, 57% provided consent for the DBS component. Mothers of cases were more likely to participate than mothers of controls (61% vs. 52%), as were mothers who self-reported white race, >12 years of education, and born in the United States. CONCLUSIONS Retrieval of DBS can be integrated into retrospective studies of neonatal outcomes including birth defects. In NBDPS, participation in the DBS component was moderate and varied by some sociodemographic factors. Further research is needed to better understand families' perspectives on using residual DBS for secondary research. Representative participation is important to reduce the potential for selection bias in future studies using DBS for children's health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene C Wong
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sarah C Fisher
- Birth Defects Registry, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Marcia L Feldkamp
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Paul A Romitti
- College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Eirini Nestoridi
- Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tania A Desrosiers
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Shen X, Caramaschi D, Adams MJ, Walker RM, Min JL, Kwong A, Hemani G, Barbu MC, Whalley HC, Harris SE, Deary IJ, Morris SW, Cox SR, Relton CL, Marioni RE, Evans KL, McIntosh AM. DNA methylome-wide association study of genetic risk for depression implicates antigen processing and immune responses. Genome Med 2022; 14:36. [PMID: 35354486 PMCID: PMC8969265 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01039-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a disabling and highly prevalent condition where genetic and epigenetic, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), differences contribute to disease risk. DNA methylation is influenced by genetic variation but the association between polygenic risk of depression and DNA methylation is unknown. METHODS We investigated the association between polygenic risk scores (PRS) for depression and DNAm by conducting a methylome-wide association study (MWAS) in Generation Scotland (N = 8898, mean age = 49.8 years) with replication in the Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1921 and 1936 and adults in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (Ncombined = 2049, mean age = 79.1, 69.6 and 47.2 years, respectively). We also conducted a replication MWAS in the ALSPAC children (N = 423, mean age = 17.1 years). Gene ontology analysis was conducted for the cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) probes significantly associated with depression PRS, followed by Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis to infer the causal relationship between depression and DNAm. RESULTS Widespread associations (NCpG = 71, pBonferroni < 0.05, p < 6.3 × 10-8) were found between PRS constructed using genetic risk variants for depression and DNAm in CpG probes that localised to genes involved in immune responses and neural development. The effect sizes for the significant associations were highly correlated between the discovery and replication samples in adults (r = 0.79) and in adolescents (r = 0.82). Gene Ontology analysis showed that significant CpG probes are enriched in immunological processes in the human leukocyte antigen system. Additional MWAS was conducted for each lead genetic risk variant. Over 47.9% of the independent genetic risk variants included in the PRS showed associations with DNAm in CpG probes located in both the same (cis) and distal (trans) locations to the genetic loci (pBonferroni < 0.045). Subsequent MR analysis showed that there are a greater number of causal effects found from DNAm to depression than vice versa (DNAm to depression: pFDR ranged from 0.024 to 7.45 × 10-30; depression to DNAm: pFDR ranged from 0.028 to 0.003). CONCLUSIONS PRS for depression, especially those constructed from genome-wide significant genetic risk variants, showed methylome-wide differences associated with immune responses. Findings from MR analysis provided evidence for causal effect of DNAm to depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyi Shen
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK.
| | - Doretta Caramaschi
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Mark J Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Rosie M Walker
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Josine L Min
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Alex Kwong
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gibran Hemani
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Miruna C Barbu
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Heather C Whalley
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Sarah E Harris
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ian J Deary
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stewart W Morris
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon R Cox
- Lothian Birth Cohorts group, Department of Psychology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Caroline L Relton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Riccardo E Marioni
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kathryn L Evans
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK.
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11
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Merrill SM, Moore SR, Gladish N, Giesbrecht GF, Dewey D, Konwar C, MacIssac JL, Kobor MS, Letourneau NL. Paternal adverse childhood experiences: Associations with infant DNA methylation. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22174. [PMID: 34333774 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), or cumulative childhood stress exposures, such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, predict later health problems in both the exposed individuals and their offspring. One potential explanation suggests exposure to early adversity predicts epigenetic modification, especially DNA methylation (DNAm), linked to later health. Stress experienced preconception by mothers may associate with DNAm in the next generation. We hypothesized that fathers' exposure to ACEs also associates with their offspring DNAm, which, to our knowledge, has not been previously explored. An epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of blood DNAm (n = 45) from 3-month-old infants was regressed onto fathers' retrospective ACEs at multiple Cytosine-phosphate-Guanosine (CpG) sites to discover associations. This accounted for infants' sex, age, ethnicity, cell type proportion, and genetic variability. Higher ACE scores associated with methylation values at eight CpGs. Post-hoc analysis found no contribution of paternal education, income, marital status, and parental postpartum depression, but did with paternal smoking and BMI along with infant sleep latency. These same CpGs also contributed to the association between paternal ACEs and offspring attention problems at 3 years. Collectively, these findings suggested there were biological associations with paternal early life adversity and offspring DNAm in infancy, potentially affecting offspring later childhood outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Merrill
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah R Moore
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicole Gladish
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gerald F Giesbrecht
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Chaini Konwar
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Julia L MacIssac
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute Vancouver, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole L Letourneau
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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12
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McClendon-Weary B, Putnick DL, Robinson S, Yeung E. Little to Give, Much to Gain-What Can You Do With a Dried Blood Spot? Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 7:211-221. [PMID: 32851603 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-020-00289-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Technological advances have allowed dried blood spots (DBS) to be utilized for various measurements, helpful in population-based studies. The following is a review of the literature highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of DBS and describing their use in multiple areas of research. RECENT FINDINGS DBS can track pollutant exposure to understand their impact on health. DBS can also be used for (epi-)genetic studies, to measure clinical biomarkers, and to monitor drug adherence. Advantages of DBS include being minimally invasive, requiring low blood volume, and being cost-effective to collect, transport, and store. Disadvantages of DBS include the hematocrit effect, which is related to the viscosity of the blood affecting its spread on to the filter paper, causing a major source of error when assessing concentrations, and the possibility of low DNA volume. Numerous uses for DBS make them an important source of biomaterial but they require additional validation for accuracy and reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryttany McClendon-Weary
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Dr, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Diane L Putnick
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Dr, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Sonia Robinson
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Dr, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA
| | - Edwina Yeung
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710B Rockledge Dr, MSC 7004, Bethesda, MD, 20817, USA.
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13
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Neonatal Lead (Pb) Exposure and DNA Methylation Profiles in Dried Bloodspots. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17186775. [PMID: 32957503 PMCID: PMC7559513 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure remains a major concern in the United States (US) and around the world, even following the removal of Pb from gasoline and other products. Environmental Pb exposures from aging infrastructure and housing stock are of particular concern to pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations. Exposures during sensitive periods of development are known to influence epigenetic modifications which are thought to be one mechanism of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm. To gain insights into early life Pb exposure-induced health risks, we leveraged neonatal dried bloodspots in a cohort of children from Michigan, US to examine associations between blood Pb levels and concomitant DNA methylation profiles (n = 96). DNA methylation analysis was conducted via the Infinium MethylationEPIC array and Pb levels were assessed via high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS). While at-birth Pb exposure levels were relatively low (average 0.78 µg/dL, maximum of 5.27 ug/dL), we identified associations between DNA methylation and Pb at 33 CpG sites, with the majority (82%) exhibiting reduced methylation with increasing Pb exposure (q < 0.2). Biological pathways related to development and neurological function were enriched amongst top differentially methylated genes by p-value. In addition to increases/decreases in methylation, we also demonstrate that Pb exposure is related to increased variability in DNA methylation at 16 CpG sites. More work is needed to assess the accuracy and precision of metals assessment using bloodspots, but this study highlights the utility of this unique resource to enhance environmental epigenetics research around the world.
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14
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Beange I, Kirkham EJ, Fletcher-Watson S, Iveson MH, Lawrie SM, Batty GD, Boardman JP, Deary IJ, Black C, Porteous DJ, McIntosh AM. Using a knowledge exchange event to assess study participants' attitudes to research in a rapidly evolving research context. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:24. [PMID: 32724860 PMCID: PMC7361507 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15651.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The UK hosts some of the world’s longest-running longitudinal cohort studies, which make repeated observations of their participants and use these data to explore health outcomes. An alternative method for data collection is record linkage; the linking together of electronic health and administrative records. Applied nationally, this could provide unrivalled opportunities to follow a large number of people in perpetuity. However, public attitudes to the use of data in research are currently unclear. Here we report on an event where we collected attitudes towards recent opportunities and controversies within health data science. Methods: The event was attended by ~250 individuals (cohort members and their guests), who had been invited through the offices of their participating cohort studies. There were a series of presentations describing key research results and the audience participated in 15 multiple-choice questions using interactive voting pads. Results: Our participants showed a high level of trust in researchers (87% scoring them 4/5 or 5/5) and doctors (81%); but less trust in commercial companies (35%). They supported the idea of researchers using information from both neonatal blood spots (Guthrie spots) (97% yes) and from electronic health records (95% yes). Our respondents were willing to wear devices like a ’Fit-bit’ (88% agreed) or take a brain scan that might predict later mental illness (73%). However, they were less willing to take a new drug for research purposes (45%). They were keen to encourage others to take part in research; whether that be offering the opportunity to pregnant mothers (97% agreed) or extending invitations to their own children and grandchildren (98%). Conclusions: Our participants were broadly supportive of research access to data, albeit less supportive when commercial interests were involved. Public engagement events that facilitate two-way interactions can influence and support future research and public engagement efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iona Beange
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Kirkham
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Sue Fletcher-Watson
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Matthew H Iveson
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK
| | - G David Batty
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London Medical School, London, WC1E 7HB, UK.,School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - James P Boardman
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK.,Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Ian J Deary
- The Lothian Birth Cohorts, Division of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Corri Black
- Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - David J Porteous
- MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF, UK.,The Lothian Birth Cohorts, Division of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
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15
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Ryan CP. "Epigenetic clocks": Theory and applications in human biology. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23488. [PMID: 32845048 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
All humans age, but how we age-and how fast-differs considerably from person to person. This deviation between apparent age and chronological age is often referred to as "biological age" (BA) and until recently robust tools for studying BA have been scarce. "Epigenetic clocks" are starting to change this. Epigenetic clocks use predictable changes in the epigenome, usually DNA methylation, to estimate chronological age with unprecedented accuracy. More importantly, deviations between epigenetic age and chronological age predict a broad range of health outcomes and mortality risks better than chronological age alone. Thus, epigenetic clocks appear to capture fundamental molecular processes tied to BA and can serve as powerful tools for studying health, development, and aging across the lifespan. In this article, I review epigenetic clocks, especially as they relate to key theoretical and applied issues in human biology. I first provide an overview of how epigenetic clocks are constructed and what we know about them. I then discuss emerging applications of particular relevance to human biologists-those related to reproduction, life-history, stress, and the environment. I conclude with an overview of the methods necessary for implementing epigenetic clocks, including considerations of study design, sample collection, and technical considerations for processing and interpreting epigenetic clocks. The goal of this review is to highlight some of the ways that epigenetic clocks can inform questions in human biology, and vice versa, and to provide human biologists with the foundational knowledge necessary to successfully incorporate epigenetic clocks into their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calen P Ryan
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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16
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Beange I, Kirkham EJ, Fletcher-Watson S, Iveson MH, Lawrie SM, Batty GD, Boardman JP, Deary IJ, Black C, Porteous DJ, McIntosh AM. Using a knowledge exchange event to assess study participants’ attitudes to research in a rapidly evolving research context. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:24. [DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15651.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The UK hosts some of the world’s longest-running longitudinal cohort studies, who make repeated observations of their participants and use these data to explore health outcomes. An alternative method for data collection is record linkage; the linking together of electronic health and administrative records. Applied nationally, this could provide unrivalled opportunities to follow a large number of people in perpetuity. However, public attitudes to the use of data in research are currently unclear. Here we report on an event where we collected attitudes towards recent opportunities and controversies within health data science. Methods: The event was attended by ~250 individuals (cohort members and their guests), who had been invited through the offices of their participating cohort studies. There were a series of presentations describing key research results and the audience participated in 15 multiple-choice questions using interactive voting pads. Results: Our participants showed a high level of trust in researchers (87% scoring them 4/5 or 5/5) and doctors (81%); but less trust in commercial companies (35%). They supported the idea of researchers using information from both neonatal blood spots (Guthrie spots) (97% yes) and from electronic health records (95% yes). Our respondents were willing to wear devices like a ’Fit-bit’ (78% agreed) or take a brain scan that might predict later mental illness (73%). However, they were less willing to take a new drug for research purposes (45%). They were keen to encourage others to take part in research; whether that be offering the opportunity to pregnant mothers (97% agreed) or extending invitations to their own children and grandchildren (98%). Conclusions: Our participants were broadly supportive of research access to data, albeit less supportive when commercial interests were involved. Public engagement events that facilitate two-way interactions can influence and support future research and public engagement efforts.
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17
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Fiacco S, Gardini ES, Mernone L, Schick L, Ehlert U. DNA Methylation in Healthy Older Adults With a History of Childhood Adversity-Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:777. [PMID: 31708823 PMCID: PMC6819958 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adversity in early development seems to increase the risk of stress-related somatic disorders later in life. Physiologically, functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes is often discussed as long-term mediators of risk. In particular, DNA methylation in the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter (NR3C1) has been associated with type and strength of early life adversity and subsequent effects on HPA axis signaling in humans. Animal studies, moreover, suggest changes in DNA methylation in the estrogen receptor gene (ERα) upon early life adversity. We investigated the association of type and severity of childhood adversity with methylation in NR3C1 and ERα and additionally considered associations between methylation and steroid hormone secretion. Methods: The percentage of methylation within the NR3C1 promoter and the ERα shore was investigated using dried blood spot samples of 103 healthy women aged 40-73 years. Childhood adversity was examined with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Linear regression analyses were performed with methylation as dependent variable and the experience of emotional abuse and neglect, physical abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse (compared to non-experience) as independent variables. All analyses were controlled for age, BMI, annual household income, and smoking status and were adjusted for multiple testing. Results: Overall, over 70% of the sample reported having experienced any kind of abuse or neglect of at least low intensity. There were no significant associations between childhood adversity and methylation in the NR3C1 promoter (all p > .10). Participants reporting emotional abuse showed significantly higher methylation in the ERα shore than those who did not (p = .001). Additionally, higher levels of adversity were associated with higher levels of ERα shore methylation (p = .001). Conclusion: In healthy women, early life adversity does not seem to result in NR3C1 promoter hypermethylation in midlife and older age. This is the first study in humans to suggest that childhood adversity might, however, epigenetically modify the ERα shore. Further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of why some individuals remain healthy and others develop psychopathologies in the face of childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Fiacco
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Silvia Gardini
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Mernone
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lea Schick
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,URPP Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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