An epigenome-wide analysis of DNA methylation, racialized and economic inequities, and air pollution.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

DNA methylation (DNAm) provides a plausible mechanism by which adverse exposures become embodied and contribute to health inequities, due to its role in genome regulation and responsiveness to social and biophysical exposures tied to societal context. However, scant epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) have included structural and lifecourse measures of exposure, especially in relation to structural discrimination.

Objective

Our study tests the hypothesis that DNAm is a mechanism by which racial discrimination, economic adversity, and air pollution become biologically embodied.

Design

A series of cross-sectional EWAS, conducted in My Body My Story (MBMS, biological specimens collected 2008-2010, DNAm assayed in 2021); and the Multi Ethnic Study of Athe

SUBMITTER: Watkins SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10723401 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature