Affiliation:
1. Medical Science Research Center, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Background:
In humans, age-related DNA methylation has been studied in blood, tissues,
buccal swabs, and fibroblasts, and changes in DNA methylation patterns according to age and sex
have been detected. To date, approximately 137,000 samples have been analyzed from 14,000 studies,
and the information has been uploaded to the NCBI GEO database.
Methods:
A correlation between age and methylation level and longitudinal changes in methylation
levels was revealed in both sexes. Here, 20 public datasets derived from whole blood were analyzed
using the Illumina BeadChip. Batch effects with respect to the time differences were correlated. The
overall change in the pattern was provided as the inverse of the coefficient of variation (COV).
Results:
Of the 20 datasets, nine were from a longitudinal study. All data had age and sex as common
variables. Comprehensive details of age-, sex-, and longitudinal change-based DNA methylation levels
in the whole blood sample were elucidated in this study. ELOVL2 and FHL2 showed the maximum
correlation between age and DNA methylation. The methylation patterns of genes related to mental
health differed according to age. Age-correlated genes have been associated with malformations (anteverted
nostril, craniofacial abnormalities, and depressed nasal bridge) and drug addiction (drug habituation
and smoking).
Conclusion:
Based on 20 public DNA methylation datasets, methylation levels according to age and
longitudinal changes by sex were identified and visualized using an integrated approach. The results
highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying the association of sex and biological age with changes
in DNA methylation, and the importance of optimal genomic information management.
Funder
Korea Health Technology R&D Project through Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea
National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Genetics (clinical),Genetics