Evidence of accelerated epigenetic aging of breast tissues in patients with breast cancer is driven by CpGs associated with polycomb-related genes.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Age is one of the strongest risk factors for the development of breast cancer, however, the underlying etiology linking age and breast cancer remains unclear. We have previously observed links between epigenetic aging signatures in breast/tumor tissue and breast cancer risk/prevalence. However, these DNA methylation-based aging biomarkers capture diverse epigenetic phenomena and it is not known to what degree they relate to breast cancer risk, and/or progression.

Methods

Using six epigenetic clocks, we analyzed whether they distinguish normal breast tissue adjacent to tumor (cases) vs normal breast tissue from healthy controls (controls).

Results

The Levine (p = 0.0037) and Yang clocks (p = 0.023) showed significant epigenetic age acceleration in cases vs cont

SUBMITTER: Rozenblit M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8876160 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature