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Comprehensive characterization, annotation and innovative use of Infinium DNA methylation BeadChip probes.

ABSTRACT: Illumina Infinium DNA Methylation BeadChips represent the most widely used genome-scale DNA methylation assays. Existing strategies for masking Infinium probes overlapping repeats or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are based largely on ad hoc assumptions and subjective criteria. In addition, the recently introduced MethylationEPIC (EPIC) array expands on the utility of this platform, but has not yet been well characterized. We present in this paper an extensive characterization of probes on the EPIC and HM450 microarrays, including mappability to the latest genome build, genomic copy number of the 3? nested subsequence and influence of polymorphisms including a previously unrecognized color channel switch for Type I probes. We show empirical evidence for exclusion criteria for underperforming probes, providing a sounder basis than current ad hoc criteria for exclusion. In addition, we describe novel probe uses, exemplified by the addition of a total of 1052 SNP probes to the existing 59 explicit SNP probes on the EPIC array and the use of these probes to predict ethnicity. Finally, we present an innovative out-of-band color channel application for the dual use of 62 371 probes as internal bisulfite conversion controls.

SUBMITTER: Zhou W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5389466 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comprehensive characterization, annotation and innovative use of Infinium DNA methylation BeadChip probes.

Zhou Wanding W Laird Peter W PW Shen Hui H

Nucleic acids research 20170201 4

Illumina Infinium DNA Methylation BeadChips represent the most widely used genome-scale DNA methylation assays. Existing strategies for masking Infinium probes overlapping repeats or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are based largely on ad hoc assumptions and subjective criteria. In addition, the recently introduced MethylationEPIC (EPIC) array expands on the utility of this platform, but has not yet been well characterized. We present in this paper an extensive characterization of probes ...[more]

PMID: 27924034

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Project description:BackgroundThe capacity of technologies measuring DNA methylation (DNAm) is rapidly evolving, as are the options for applicable bioinformatics methods. The most commonly used DNAm microarray, the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K array), has recently been replaced by the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC (EPIC array), nearly doubling the number of targeted CpG sites. Given that a subset of 450K CpG sites is absent on the EPIC array and that several tools for both data normalization and analyses were developed on the 450K array, it is important to assess their utility when applied to EPIC array data. One of the most commonly used 450K tools is the pan-tissue epigenetic clock, a multivariate predictor of biological age based on DNAm at 353 CpG sites. Of these CpGs, 19 are missing from the EPIC array, thus raising the question of whether EPIC data can be used to accurately estimate DNAm age. We also investigated a 71-CpG epigenetic age predictor, referred to as the Hannum method, which lacks 6 probes on the EPIC array. To evaluate these epigenetic clocks in EPIC data properly, a prior assessment of the effects of data preprocessing methods on DNAm age is also required.MethodsDNAm was quantified, on both the 450K and EPIC platforms, from human primary monocytes derived from 172 individuals. We calculated DNAm age from raw, and three different preprocessed data forms to assess the effects of different processing methods on the DNAm age estimate. Using an additional cohort, we also investigated DNAm age of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, bronchoalveolar lavage, and bronchial brushing samples using the EPIC array.ResultsUsing monocyte-derived data from subjects on both the 450K and EPIC, we found that DNAm age was highly correlated across both raw and preprocessing methods (r > 0.91). Thus, the correlation between chronological age and the DNAm age estimate is largely unaffected by platform differences and normalization methods. However, we found that the choice of normalization method and measurement platform can lead to a systematic offset in the age estimate which in turn leads to an increase in the median error. Comparing the 450K and EPIC DNAm age estimates, we observed that the median absolute difference was 1.44-3.10 years across preprocessing methods.ConclusionsHere, we have provided evidence that the epigenetic clock is resistant to the lack of 19 CpG sites missing from the EPIC array as well as highlighted the importance of considering the technical variance of the epigenetic when interpreting group differences below the reported error. Furthermore, our study highlights the utility of epigenetic age acceleration measure, the residuals from a linear regression of DNAm age on chronological age, as the resulting values are robust with respect to normalization methods and measurement platforms.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Measurement of genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) has become an important avenue for investigating potential physiologically-relevant epigenetic changes. Illumina Infinium (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) is a commercially available microarray suite used to measure DNAm at many sites throughout the genome. However, it has been suggested that a subset of array probes may give misleading results due to issues related to probe design. To facilitate biologically significant data interpretation, we set out to enhance probe annotation of the newest Infinium array, the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (450 k), with >485,000 probes covering 99% of Reference Sequence (RefSeq) genes (National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Bethesda, MD, USA). Annotation that was added or expanded on includes: 1) documented SNPs in the probe target, 2) probe binding specificity, 3) CpG classification of target sites and 4) gene feature classification of target sites. RESULTS: Probes with documented SNPs at the target CpG (4.3% of probes) were associated with increased within-tissue variation in DNAm. An example of a probe with a SNP at the target CpG demonstrated how sample genotype can confound the measurement of DNAm. Additionally, 8.6% of probes mapped to multiple locations in silico. Measurements from these non-specific probes likely represent a combination of DNAm from multiple genomic sites. The expanded biological annotation demonstrated that based on DNAm, grouping probes by an alternative high-density and intermediate-density CpG island classification provided a distinctive pattern of DNAm. Finally, variable enrichment for differentially methylated probes was noted across CpG classes and gene feature groups, dependant on the tissues that were compared. CONCLUSION: DNAm arrays offer a high-throughput approach for which careful consideration of probe content should be utilized to better understand the biological processes affected. Probes containing SNPs and non-specific probes may affect the assessment of DNAm using the 450 k array. Additionally, probe classification by CpG enrichment classes and to a lesser extent gene feature groups resulted in distinct patterns of DNAm. Thus, we recommend that compromised probes be removed from analyses and that the genomic context of DNAm is considered in studies deciphering the biological meaning of Illumina 450 k array data.

Dataset Information

Comprehensive characterization, annotation and innovative use of Infinium DNA methylation BeadChip probes.

Publications

Comprehensive characterization, annotation and innovative use of Infinium DNA methylation BeadChip probes.

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