Age and sex effects on DNA methylation sites linked to genes implicated in severe COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry.

ABSTRACT: Male sex and advanced age are associated with severe symptoms of COVID-19. Sex and age also exhibit substantial associations with genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) differences in humans. Using a random sample of Illumina EPIC-based genome-wide methylomes from peripheral whole blood of 1,976 parents, participating in The Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), we explored whether DNAm in genes linked to SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and to severe COVID-19 were associated with sex and age. This was carried out by testing 1,572 DNAm sites (CpGs) located near 45 genes for associations with age and sex. We found that DNAm in 281 and 231 of 1,572 CpGs were associated (pFDR<0.01) with sex and aging, respectively. CpGs linked to SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry genes were all associated wi

SUBMITTER: Bohlin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9182232 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature