Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39894787›Full record

ArticleEpigenomics2025

Detection of an intestinal cell DNA methylation signature in blood samples from neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis.

Lauren Frazer, Tianjiao Chu, Patricia Shaw, Camille Boufford, Lucas Tavares Naief, Michaela Ednie, Laken Ritzert, Caitlin P Green, Misty Good, David Peters

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epigenomics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Necrotizing enterocolitis.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2026
    Review
  3. Necrotizing Enterocolitis: What's New and What's Next?International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Lauren FrazerDivision of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Tianjiao ChuDepartments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Patricia ShawMagee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Camille BouffordDepartment of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Lucas Tavares NaiefMagee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Michaela EdnieMagee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Laken RitzertMagee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Caitlin P GreenDepartment of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Misty GoodDivision of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0264-5721
David PetersDepartments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Funding

Neonatal gut-on-a-chip platform for high content drug testing and precision medicineR01HD105301 · NICHD · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI GOOD, MISTY L, MAGNESS, SCOTT T · 2021 to 2024
$2.4M
Reprogramming intestinal immunity in preterm neonates to prevent and cure necrotizing enterocolitisDP1DK140012 · NIDDK · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI MISTY L GOOD · 2024 to 2026
$2.2M
Regulation of signaling pathways mediating epithelial cell injury in the neonatal intestineK08DK140604 · NIDDK · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI FRAZER, LAUREN CAROLE · 2024 to 2025
$348k
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD105301NIDDK NIH HHS DP1 DK140012NIDDK NIH HHS K08 DK140604
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNecrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an often fatal intestinal injury that primarily affects preterm infants for which screening tools are lacking. We performed a pilot analysis of DNA methylation in peripheral blood samples from preterm infants with and without NEC to identify potential NEC biomarkers.

methodsPeripheral blood samples were collected from infants at NEC diagnosis (

resultsBroad differences between NEC cases and controls were identified in distinct genomic elements. Differences between surgical NEC cases and controls were frequently associated with inflammation. Deconvolution analysis to identify cell type-specific DNA signatures revealed increases in ileal, vascular endothelial, and cardiomyocyte cell type proportions and decreases in colonic and neuronal cell type proportions in blood from NEC cases relative to controls.

conclusionsWe identified marked differences in DNA methylation of peripheral blood samples from preterm infants with and without NEC. Increased ileal cell-specific methylation signatures in the blood of infants with NEC relative to controls, with a marked increase seen in surgical cases, provides rationale for further analysis of intestinal DNA methylation signatures as biomarkers of NEC.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationEnterocolitis, NecrotizingBiomarkersCase-Control StudiesFemaleGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureMaleBiomarkersbiomarkerbloodDNA methylationepigeneticsnecrotizing enterocolitisneonatalprematurity

Identifiers

PMID39894787
PMCPMC11853613

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.