Dataset Information

Air pollution and epigenetic aging among Black and White women in the US.

ABSTRACT:

Background

DNA methylation-based measures of biological aging have been associated with air pollution and may link pollutant exposures to aging-related health outcomes. However, evidence is inconsistent and there is little information for Black women.

Objective

We examined associations of ambient particulate matter <2.5 μm and <10 μm in diameter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) with DNA methylation, including epigenetic aging and individual CpG sites, and evaluated whether associations differ between Black and non-Hispanic White (NHW) women.

Methods

Validated models were used to estimate annual average outdoor residential exposure to PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and NO₂ in a sample of self-identified Black (n=633) and NHW (n=3493) women residing in the contiguous US. We used sampling-weighted generalized linear regression to examine the effects of pollutants on six epigenetic aging measures (primary: DunedinPACE, GrimAgeAccel, and PhenoAgeAccel; secondary: Horvath intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration [EAA], Hannum extrinsic EAA, and skin & blood EAA) and epigenome-wide associations for individual CpG sites. Wald tests of nested models with and without interaction terms were used to examine effect measure modification by race/ethnicity.

Results

Black participants had higher median air pollution exposure than NHW participants. GrimAgeAccel was associated with both PM₁₀ and NO₂ among Black participants, (Q4 versus Q1, PM₁₀: β=1.09, 95% CI: 0.16-2.03; NO₂: β=1.01, 95% CI 0.08-1.94) but not NHW participants (p-for-heterogeneity: PM₁₀=0.10, NO₂=0.20). In Black participants, we also observed a monotonic exposure-response relationship between NO₂ and DunedinPACE (Q4 versus Q1, NO₂: β=0.029, 95% CI: 0.004-0.055; p-for-trend=0.03), which was not observed in NHW participants (p-for-heterogeneity=0.09). In the EWAS, pollutants were significantly associated with differential methylation at 19 CpG sites in Black women and one in NHW women.

Conclusions

In a US-wide cohort study, our findings suggest that air pollution is associated with DNA methylation alterations consistent with higher epigenetic aging among Black, but not NHW, women.

SUBMITTER: Koenigsberg SH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10872847 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Air pollution and epigenetic aging among Black and White women in the US.

Koenigsberg Sarah H SH Chang Che-Jung CJ Ish Jennifer J Xu Zongli Z Kresovich Jacob K JK Lawrence Kaitlyn G KG Kaufman Joel D JD Sandler Dale P DP Taylor Jack A JA White Alexandra J AJ

Environment international 20231017

<h4>Background</h4>DNA methylation-based measures of biological aging have been associated with air pollution and may link pollutant exposures to aging-related health outcomes. However, evidence is inconsistent and there is little information for Black women.<h4>Objective</h4>We examined associations of ambient particulate matter <2.5 μm and <10 μm in diameter (PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub>) and nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) with DNA methylation, including epigenetic aging and individ ...[more]

PMID: 37890265

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Dataset Information

Air pollution and epigenetic aging among Black and White women in the US.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Air pollution and epigenetic aging among Black and White women in the US.

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