Neonatal BCG vaccination is associated with a long-term DNA methylation signature in circulating monocytes.

ABSTRACT: Trained immunity describes the capacity of innate immune cells to develop heterologous memory in response to certain exogenous exposures. This phenomenon mediates, at least in part, the beneficial off-target effects of the BCG vaccine. Using an in vitro model of trained immunity, we show that BCG exposure induces a persistent change in active histone modifications, DNA methylation, transcription, and adenosine-to-inosine RNA modification in human monocytes. By profiling DNA methylation of circulating monocytes from infants in the MIS BAIR clinical trial, we identify a BCG-associated DNA methylation signature that persisted more than 12 months after neonatal BCG vaccination. Genes associated with this epigenetic signature are involved in viral response pathways, consistent with the reported

SUBMITTER: Bannister S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9355358 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature