Cell-free DNA methylation patterns in aging and their association with inflamm-aging
Epigenomics, 2024
Li S., Gao X., Wang Z., Li J., Zeng L., Dang Y., Ma Y., Zhang L., Wang Q., Zhang Y., Liu H., Qi R., Cai J.
| Disease area | Application area | Sample type | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
Immunological & Inflammatory Diseases Aging | Epidemiology | Plasma |  Olink Target 96 |
Abstract
Aim: Liquid biopsies analyzing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation in plasma offer a noninvasive diagnostic for diseases, with the potential of aging biomarkers underexplored.
Methods: Utilizing enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq), this study assessed cfDNA methylation patterns in aging with blood from 35 healthy individuals.
Results: It found aging signatures, including higher cfDNA levels and variations in fragment sizes, plus approximately 2000 age-related differentially methylated CpG sites. A biological age predictive model based on 48 CpG sites showed a strong correlation with chronological age, verified by two datasets. Age-specific epigenetic shifts linked to inflammation were revealed through differentially methylated regions profiling and Olink proteomics.
Conclusion: These findings suggest cfDNA methylation as a potential aging biomarker and might exacerbate immunoinflammatory reactivity in older individuals.