Article
Psychiatry
Pei-Fen Kuan, Xu Ren, Sean Clouston, Xiaohua Yang, Katherine Jonas, Roman Kotov, Evelyn Bromet, Benjamin J. Luft
Summary: The study suggests that PTSD is associated with accelerated transcriptional aging, which provides insights into the mechanisms underlying premature aging in PTSD.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Junying Wang, Wen Zhang, Xiaoqin Liu, Minjee Kim, Ke Zhang, Robert Y. L. Tsai
Summary: This study identified differentially methylated genomic regions (DMRs) in mouse livers that are co-regulated by aging and regeneration using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). The DMRs showed opposite methylation direction changes between 2 and 8 months and 8 and 16 months. Inverse-regulated DMRs by aging and regeneration were found in the promoter/gene regions of 12 genes. These findings provide insights into the epigenomic changes underlying the biology of aging on liver regeneration.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhaozhong Zhu, Yijun Li, Robert J. Freishtat, Juan C. Celedon, Janice A. Espinola, Brennan Harmon, Andrea Hahn, Carlos A. Camargo, Liming Liang, Kohei Hasegawa
Summary: This study investigates the role of DNA methylation in the severity of bronchiolitis in infants. The authors analyze blood DNA methylation data from hospitalized infants and identify differentially methylated CpGs associated with disease severity. These CpGs are found to be differentially methylated in blood immune cells and enriched in various tissues, cells, and pathways. Additionally, they are also associated with respiratory and immune traits. The study highlights the importance of DNA methylation in understanding the pathobiology of bronchiolitis and its severity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Jochen Kruppa, Miriam Sieg, Gesa Richter, Anne Pohrt
Summary: In DNA methylation analysis, M-values can be used for statistical analysis while Beta-values are more suitable for reporting, though correction may be needed when confounder effects are present. Different frameworks for reporting estimands in DNA methylation analysis are proposed, with careful evaluation needed for hyper- or hypomethylated CpG sites.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Theodora Kunovac Kallak, Emma Fransson, Emma Brann, Hanna Berglund, Susanne Lager, Erika Comasco, Robert Lyle, Alkistis Skalkidou
Summary: This study investigated DNA methylation in cord blood of children of mothers with prenatal depressive symptoms (PND) to identify possible markers indicating susceptibility to behavioral problems at 18 months of age. The differentially methylated CpG sites could be of interest for resilience, regardless of maternal mental health during pregnancy.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Elie Antoun, Emma S. Garratt, Andrea Taddei, Mark A. Burton, Sheila J. Barton, Phil Titcombe, Leo D. Westbury, Alicia Baczynska, Eugenia Migliavacca, Jerome N. Feige, Holly E. Sydall, Elaine Dennison, Richard Dodds, Helen C. Roberts, Peter Richardson, Avan A. Sayer, Sarah Shaw, Cyrus Cooper, Joanna D. Holbrook, Harnish P. Patel, Keith M. Godfrey, Karen A. Lillycrop
Summary: This study found that differences in muscle methylome are associated with sarcopenia and individual measures of muscle mass, strength, and function in older individuals, suggesting that changes in epigenetic regulation of genes may contribute to impaired muscle function in later life.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Manuel Castro de Moura, Veronica Davalos, Laura Planas-Serra, Damiana Alvarez-Errico, Carles Arribas, Montserrat Ruiz, Sergio Aguilera-Albesa, Jesus Troya, Juan Valencia-Ramos, Valentina Velez-Santamaria, Agusti Rodriguez-Palmero, Judit Villar-Garcia, Juan P. Horcajada, Sergiu Albu, Carlos Casasnovas, Anna Rull, Laia Reverte, Beatriz Dietl, David Dalmau, Maria J. Arranz, Laia Llucia-Carol, Anna M. Planas, Jordi Perez-Tur, Israel Fernandez-Cadenas, Paula Villares, Jair Tenorio, Roger Colobran, Andrea Martin-Nalda, Pere Soler-Palacin, Francesc Vidal, Aurora Pujol, Manel Esteller
Summary: An epigenome-wide association study identified 44 CpG sites associated with the clinical severity of COVID-19, with some located in genes involved in interferon response to viral infection. A DNA methylation signature (EPICOVID) was established and could be useful in the clinical management of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients when combined with other factors.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James K. Nunez, Jin Chen, Greg C. Pommier, J. Zachery Cogan, Joseph M. Replogle, Carmen Adriaens, Gokul N. Ramadoss, Quanming Shi, King L. Hung, Avi J. Samelson, Angela N. Pogson, James Y. S. Kim, Amanda Chung, Manuel D. Leonetti, Howard Y. Chang, Martin Kampmann, Bradley E. Bernstein, Volker Hovestadt, Luke A. Gilbert, Jonathan S. Weissman
Summary: CRISPRoff is a programmable epigenetic memory writer that can heritably alter gene expression by initiating specific DNA methylation and gene repression. The tool utilizes a single dead Cas9 fusion protein to establish these modifications, which are maintained through cell division and differentiation processes. By pairing CRISPRoff with genome-wide screens and analysis of chromatin marks, rules for heritable gene silencing can be established, with the tool capable of targeting a wide range of genes beyond canonical CpG islands.
Review
Allergy
Andres Cardenas, Raj P. Fadadu, Gerard H. Koppelman
Summary: This article provides a narrative review of epigenetic research on the relationship between the environment and allergies. The review highlights the importance of DNA methylation as an epigenetic modification and discusses the findings from previous studies and recent research. Overall, the results suggest that there are consistent associations between environmental exposures and DNA methylation changes related to allergic diseases. The review also suggests recommendations for future research in this field.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Oliver Kaut, Ina Schmitt, Fabian Stahl, Holger Froehlich, Per Hoffmann, Frank J. Gonzalez, Ullrich Wuellner
Summary: This study identified a small number of dysmethylated genes in the brains of Parkinson's disease patients, including the hypomethylation of CYP2E1, which was associated with increased protein levels. Furthermore, a group of genes associated with oxidative stress showed brain-specific changes.
Article
Psychiatry
Pei-Fen Kuan, Xiaohua Yang, Roman Kotov, Sean Clouston, Evelyn Bromet, Benjamin J. Luft
Summary: This study used metabolomics and complex lipid profiling to identify metabolites and metabolomic modules associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings shed light on molecular alterations and provide insights into the pathways implicated in PTSD.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rongbin Xu, Shuai Li, Shanshan Li, Ee Ming Wong, Melissa C. Southey, John L. Hopper, Michael J. Abramson, Yuming Guo
Summary: The study found associations between surrounding greenness and blood DNA methylation, which could be modified by genetic variations.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carolyn F. McCabe, Jennifer L. LaBarre, Steven E. Domino, Marjorie C. Treadwell, Ana Baylin, Charles F. Burant, Dana C. Dolinoy, Vasantha Padmanabhan, Jaclyn M. Goodrich
Summary: Maternal prenatal status plays a crucial role in offspring health and disease, and alterations in DNA methylation may be a mechanism through which suboptimal prenatal conditions confer disease risk later in life. This study investigated the association between maternal one-carbon metabolites and DNA methylation patterns in newborns. The findings highlight the importance of maternal diet and cellular methylation potential in shaping offspring health.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Mickael Canouil, Amna Khamis, Elina Keikkala, Sandra Hummel, Stephane Lobbens, Amelie Bonnefond, Fabien Delahaye, Evangelia Tzala, Sanna Mustaniemi, Marja Vaarasmaki, Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, Sylvain Sebert, Eero Kajantie, Philippe Froguel, Toby Andrew
Summary: This study did not find shared epigenetic effects between mothers and offspring from GDM exposure. However, a significant CpG at the cg22790973 probe (TFCP2) associated with GDM was identified, along with seven additional FDR-significant interactions of maternal methylation and GDM status, suggesting a potential complexity in the epigenetic transmission from mothers with GDM to their offspring.
Article
Biology
Jiahui Si, Songchun Yang, Dianjianyi Sun, Canqing Yu, Yu Guo, Yifei Lin, Iona Y. Millwood, Robin G. Walters, Ling Yang, Yiping Chen, Huaidong Du, Yujie Hua, Jingchao Liu, Junshi Chen, Zhengming Chen, Wei Chen, Jun Lv, Liming Liang, Liming Li
Summary: This study conducted the first prospective epigenome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in relation to incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Asian population, identifying novel blood methylation alterations associated with CHD and providing evidence of the role of epigenetic regulations in smoking- and blood pressure-related pathways to CHD risk.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naisi Zhao, Mengyuan Ruan, Devin C. Koestler, Jiayun Lu, Carmen J. Marsit, Karl T. Kelsey, Elizabeth A. Platz, Dominique S. Michaud
Summary: This study investigated the association between blood DNA methylation levels and lung cancer risk, identifying novel genomic regions and single CpG sites significantly associated with lung cancer risk. These findings serve as potential biomarkers for lung cancer risk stratification and may indicate causal relationships with lung cancer.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Brittney O. Baumert, Nancy Fiedler, Tippawan Prapamontol, Panrapee Suttiwan, Warangkana Naksen, Parinya Panuwet, Supattra Sittiwang, Chayada Dokjunyam, Melissa M. Smarr, Carmen J. Marsit, P. Barry Ryan, Wattasit Siriwong, Mark G. Robson, Dana Boyd Barr
Summary: This study aims to investigate the impact of prenatal exposure to pesticides on neurodevelopment in children and identify early predictors. The study cohort consists of participants from farming districts in Thailand and will undergo long-term follow-up and neurodevelopmental tests. The findings will contribute to the development of risk assessment standards for pregnant women in Thailand and other countries.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pei Wen Tung, Amber Burt, Margaret Karagas, Brian P. Jackson, Tracy Punshon, Barry Lester, Carmen J. Marsit
Summary: The study found that toxic metals such as cadmium and lead measured in placental tissue may adversely impact newborn neurobehavior, suggesting the potential negative effects of prenatal exposure to these metals on newborn health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jessie P. Buckley, Jordan R. Kuiper, Deborah H. Bennett, Emily S. Barrett, Tracy Bastain, Carrie Breton, Sridhar Chinthakindi, Anne L. Dunlop, Shohreh F. Farzan, Julie B. Herbstman, Margaret R. Karagas, Carmen J. Marsit, John D. Meeker, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Thomas G. O'Connor, Megan E. Romano, Susan Schantz, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Deborah J. Watkins, Hongkai Zhu, Edo D. Pellizzari, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Tracey J. Woodruff
Summary: Prenatal chemical exposures can affect maternal and child health, but routine biomonitoring does not cover many industrial chemicals. A study of 171 pregnant women in the US and Puerto Rico found widespread exposures to both common and understudied chemicals in this diverse population, with higher concentrations of certain chemicals in Hispanic women.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fasil Tekola-Ayele, Xuehuo Zeng, Suvo Chatterjee, Marion Ouidir, Corina Lesseur, Ke Hao, Jia Chen, Markos Tesfaye, Carmen J. Marsit, Tsegaselassie Workalemahu, Ronald Wapner
Summary: Abnormal birthweight is associated with increased risk for cardiometabolic diseases in later life. This study integrated placental methylation and gene expression data with genetic loci associated with birthweight to identify functional genes involved in fetal growth regulation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Maya A. Deyssenroth, Shouneng Peng, Ke Hao, Carmen J. Marsit, Jia Chen
Summary: This study presents the first genome-wide characterization of placental transcript usage and its association with intrauterine metal exposure and fetal growth restriction. The results highlight the importance of interrogating the transcriptome at a finer-scale transcript-level resolution to identify novel placental biomarkers of exposure-induced outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel A. Enquobahrie, James MacDonald, Michael Hussey, Theo K. Bammler, Christine T. Loftus, Alison G. Paquette, Nora Byington, Carmen J. Marsit, Adam Szpiro, Joel D. Kaufman, Kaja Z. LeWinn, Nicole R. Bush, Frances Tylavsky, Catherine J. Karr, Sheela Sathyanarayana
Summary: This study identified an association between prenatal exposure to PM2.5 and placental gene expression, particularly in the first half of pregnancy. Offspring sex may also play a role in modulating this association, with a positive correlation observed in males and a negative correlation in females.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kirtan Kaur, Corina Lesseur, Maya A. Deyssenroth, Itai Kloog, Joel D. Schwartz, Carmen J. Marsit, Jia Chen
Summary: Exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy may alter placental gene expression related to lipid and glucose metabolism. The effects may vary depending on the sex of the fetus. Further research is needed to understand the long-term programming effects of gestational PM2.5 exposure on postnatal metabolic health.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Lauren A. Eaves, Adam E. Enggasser, Marie Camerota, Semsa Gogcu, William A. Gower, Hadley Hartwell, Wesley M. Jackson, Elizabeth Jensen, Robert M. Joseph, Carmen J. Marsit, Kyle Roell, Hudson P. Santos, Jeffrey S. Shenberger, Lisa Smeester, Diana Yanni, Karl C. K. Kuban, T. Michael O'Shea, Rebecca C. Fry
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between CpG methylation in the placenta and neonatal blood and neonatal inflammation in extremely preterm infants. The study found that placental CpG methylation was strongly associated with sustained systemic inflammation (ISSI), while neonatal blood CpG methylation was associated with day-one inflammation (DOI).
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carla J. Berg, Lela Sturua, Carmen J. Marsit, Levan Baramidze, Nino Kiladze, William Michael Caudle
Summary: COVID-19 has posed challenges for global health research training programs. The CARE program in Georgia, aimed at enhancing research capacity in noncommunicable diseases and environmental health, started during the pandemic. Mentorship relationships were highly rated by trainees and faculty, but completing planned goals was a major challenge. The pandemic exacerbated existing challenges, such as meeting program demands, communication gaps, and unclear expectations. Strong mentorship relationships are important, and program leaders must address these challenges given the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giehae Choi, Jordan R. Kuiper, Deborah H. Bennett, Emily S. Barrett, Theresa M. Bastain, Carrie Breton, Sridhar Chinthakindi, Anne L. Dunlop, Shohreh F. Farzan, Julie B. Herbstman, Margaret R. Karagas, Carmen J. Marsit, John D. Meeker, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Thomas G. O'Connor, Edo D. Pellizzari, Megan E. Romano, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Susan Schantz, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Deborah J. Watkins, Hongkai Zhu, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Jessie P. Buckley, Tracey J. Woodruff
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the exposure of melamine, melamine derivatives, and aromatic amines in pregnant women in the United States and explore the associations with participant and urine sample collection characteristics. The results revealed that the exposure to these chemicals was ubiquitous in pregnant women and was associated with factors such as race/ethnicity, urinary cotinine, and sample collection time.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gianluca Ursini, Pasquale Di Carlo, Sreya Mukherjee, Qiang Chen, Shizhong Han, Jiyoung Kim, Maya Deyssenroth, Carmen J. Marsit, Jia Chen, Ke Hao, Giovanna Punzi, Daniel R. Weinberger
Summary: Our previous research indicates that genomic risk for schizophrenia is influenced by early life complications and sex-biased neurodevelopmental trajectories. In this study, we identify specific genes and potential mechanisms in the placenta that may mediate these outcomes. Through analysis of healthy term placentae and fetal brain, we highlight 139 placenta and schizophrenia-specific risk genes, many of which are sex-biased, and suggest a connection with nutrient-sensing capabilities of placenta and trophoblast invasiveness. These findings also implicate the Coronavirus-pathogenesis pathway and its association with SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnancies.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Michael Mortillo, Carmen J. Marsit
Summary: The purpose of this review is to summarize recent literature on the effects of early-life environmental exposures on placental DNA methylation, identify how variation in placental methylation is regulated in an exposure-specific manner, and encourage further research in this area. Multiple studies have found associations between prenatal environmental exposures and placental methylation at both gene-specific and epigenome-wide levels. Different exposures lead to unique patterns of methylation, and cross-exposure assessments have identified certain genes that consistently show differential placental methylation. Studies focusing on exposures such as air pollution, maternal smoking, environmental contaminants, and trace metals are more abundant, while studies on socioeconomic adversity and circadian disruption are scarce but show significant effects. Understanding the impacts of early-life environmental exposures on placental methylation is crucial for establishing the link between the maternal environment, epigenetic variation, and long-term health. Future studies should incorporate repeated measures of exposure throughout pregnancy to determine critical windows of heavy placental methylation effects. Methylation-based scores and sequencing technology could provide insights into epigenetic gestational age and identify more genomic regions affected by methylation. Studies on the impact of other exposures such as pesticides, alcohol, and other chemicals are also necessary.
CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pei Wen Tung, Amber Burt, Margaret Karagas, Brian P. Jackson, Tracy Punshon, Barry Lester, Carmen J. Marsit
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the combined effects of metal exposure mixtures in the placenta on newborn neurobehavior. Analysis of 192 infants found that exposure to a mixture of metals in relatively low levels was associated with adverse neurobehavior in newborns.
ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pei Wen Tung, Amber Burt, Margaret Karagas, Brian P. Jackson, Tracy Punshon, Barry Lester, Carmen J. Marsit
Summary: This study examines the combined effects of prenatal metal exposure mixtures on newborn neurobehavior. The findings suggest that exposure to a mixture of placental metals is associated with adverse newborn neurobehavior.
ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)