Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Ageing affects many components of the immune system, including innate immune cells like monocytes. They are important in the early response to pathogens and for their role to differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells. Recent studies have revealed significant age-related changes in genomic DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, however information on epigenetic changes in specific leukocyte subsets is still lacking. Here, we aimed to analyse DNA methylation in purified monocyte populations from young and elderly individuals.Findings
We analysed the methylation changes in monocytes purified from young and elderly individuals using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Interestingly, we found that among 26 differentially methylated CpG sites, the majority of sites were hypomethylated in elderly individuals. The most hypomethylated CpG sites were located in neuropilin 1 (NRP1; cg24892069) and neurexin 2 (NRXN2; cg27209729) genes, and upstream of miR-29b-2 gene (cg10501210). The age-related hypomethylation of these three sites was confirmed in a separate group of young and elderly individuals.Conclusions
We identified significant age-related hypomethylation in human purified monocytes at CpG sites within the regions of NRP1, NRXN2 and miR-29b-2 genes.
SUBMITTER: Tserel L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3896835 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Tserel Liina L Limbach Maia M Saare Mario M Kisand Kai K Metspalu Andres A Milani Lili L Peterson Pärt P
Immunity & ageing : I & A 20140109 1
<h4>Background</h4>Ageing affects many components of the immune system, including innate immune cells like monocytes. They are important in the early response to pathogens and for their role to differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells. Recent studies have revealed significant age-related changes in genomic DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, however information on epigenetic changes in specific leukocyte subsets is still lacking. Here, we aimed to analyse DNA methyla ...[more]