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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
1317920
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Aging and epigenetics: longitudinal changes in gene-specific DNA methylation
Author(s)
Madrigano, J; Baccarelli, A; Mittleman, MA; Sparrow, D; Vokonas, PS; Tarantini, L; Schwartz, J
Year
2012
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Epigenetics
ISSN:
1559-2294
EISSN:
1559-2308
Volume
7
Issue
1
Page Numbers
63-70
Language
English
PMID
22207354
DOI
10.4161/epi.7.1.18749
Web of Science Id
WOS:000299828900008
Abstract
DNA methylation has been associated with age-related disease. Intra-individual changes in gene-specific DNA methylation over time in a community-based cohort has not been well described. We estimated the change in DNA methylation due to aging for nine genes in an elderly, community-dwelling cohort of men. Seven hundred and eighty four men from the Veterans Administration Normative Aging Study who were living in metropolitan Boston from 1999-2009 donated a blood sample for DNA methylation analysis at clinical examinations repeated at approximately 3-5 year intervals. We used mixed effects regression models. Aging was significantly associated with decreased methylation of GCR, iNOS and TLR2 and with increased methylation of IFNγ, F3, CRAT and OGG. Obstructive pulmonary disease at baseline modified the effect of aging on methylation of IFNγ (interaction p = 0.04). For participants who had obstructive pulmonary disease at their baseline visit, the rate of change of methylation of IFNγ was -0.05% 5-methyl-cytosine (5-mC) per year (95% CI: -0.22, 0.13), but was 0.14% 5-mC per year (95% CI: 0.05, 0.24) for those without this condition. Models with random slopes indicated significant heterogeneity in the effect of aging on methylation of GCR, iNOS and OGG. These findings suggest that DNA methylation may reflect differential biological aging.
Keywords
aging; DNA methylation; epigenesis; genetic
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