Differential DNA methylation patterns in whole blood from ACPA-positive patients with DMARD-naive rheumatoid arthritis at clinical disease onset.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Epigenetic DNA imprints are increasingly being recognized as co-drivers of disease in complex conditions. In this exploratory and hypothesis-generating epigenome-wide association study (EWAS), we investigated differential methylation patterns in peripheral blood leucocytes from patients with early untreated ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) versus controls.

Methods

Whole blood DNA was isolated from 101 disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve patients with recent clinical onset of ACPA-positive RA and 200 controls. DNA methylation was studied using the Illumina MethylationEPIC BeadChips (Illumina). We assessed our findings against previously reported differentially methylated DNA positions associated with RA including an EWAS on peripheral blood le

SUBMITTER: Svendsen AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12318994 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature