Cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in DNA methylation with age: an epigenome-wide analysis revealing over 60 novel age-associated CpG sites.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the role of epigenetic modifications, e.g. DNA methylation, in the process of aging requires the characterization of methylation patterns in large cohorts. We analysed >480 000 CpG sites using Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina) in whole blood DNA of 965 participants of a population-based cohort study aged between 50 and 75 years. In an exploratory analysis in 400 individuals, 200 CpG sites with the highest Spearman correlation coefficients for the association between methylation and age were identified. Of these 200 CpGs, 162 were significantly associated with age, which was verified in an independent cohort of 498 individuals using mixed linear regression models adjusted for gender, smoking behaviour, age-related diseases and random batch effect and corrected f

SUBMITTER: Florath I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3919014 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature