Dynamic profiling of Cell-free DNA fragmentation uncovers postprandial metabolic and immune alterations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Food intake affects body homeostasis and significantly changes circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA). However, the source and elimination of postprandial cfDNA is difficult to trace, and it is unknown whether these changes can be revealed by cfDNA fragmentomics based on liquid biopsy.

Methods

We performed shallow whole-genome sequencing of 30 plasma samples from 10 healthy individuals at fasting and postprandial (30-min and 2-h time points). We assessed the effect of postprandial states on cfDNA fragment size distribution and utilized deconvolutional analysis of end motifs to determine the potential roles of DNA nucleases in cfDNA fragmentation. We correlated the fragmentation index (defined as the ratio of short-to-long fragments) with gene expression to estimate the

SUBMITTER: Zhu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11921681 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature