Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39910411›Full record

ArticleClinical epigenetics2025

Age-related changes in DNA methylation in a sample of elderly Brazilians.

Hayley Welsh, Caio M P F Batalha, Weili Li, Nadja C Souza-Pinto, Yeda A O Duarte, Michel S Naslavsky, Esteban J Parra

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical epigenetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

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0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Hayley WelshDepartment of Anthropology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada. hayley.welsh@mail.utoronto.ca.
Caio M P F BatalhaDepartment of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Weili LiThe Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Nadja C Souza-PintoDepartment of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Yeda A O DuarteMedical-Surgical Nursing Department, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Michel S NaslavskyDepartment of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Esteban J ParraDepartment of Anthropology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada.

Funding

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo SABE 2014/50649-6McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto MC- 2020-11
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAge-related changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) play a critical role in regulating gene expression. However, most epigenome-wide association studies have predominantly focused on individuals of European descent. This study aims to characterize longitudinal changes in DNAm patterns in a cohort of elderly Brazilian participants.

methodsDNAm profiles were collected approximately nine years apart from 23 elderly Brazilian individuals using the Illumina Infinium MethyationEPIC BeadChip. Using mixed-effects models, we examined changes in DNAm patterns using both quantitative age and binary timepoint (e.g., baseline vs. follow-up) as predictors of interest to identify differentially methylated positions (DMPs). Significant DMPs were compared with a list of previously identified age-related DMPs. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were also identified using DMRcate. Gene ontology (GO) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to explore the functional significance of identified DMPs and DMRs.

resultsOf the 586,229 autosomal probes included in the differential methylation analyses, 2768 significant (FDR < 0.05) age-associated DMPs (aDMPs) and 2757 significant (FDR < 0.05) timepoint-associated DMPs (tpDMPs) were identified. Of the 2768 aDMPs, 1471 were replicated from previous studies. Of the 1297 non-replicated CpGs, 77.4% were exclusive to the EPIC array. The DMR analyses identified 305 age-associated DMRs (aDMRs) and 372 timepoint-associated DMRs (tpDMRs). Both aDMPs and aDMRs exhibited age-related hypermethylation within CpG islands and promoter regions of the genome, whereas hypomethylation predominantly occurred in interCGI and intergenic regions and introns. The GO enrichment analyses identified several neurological and cognition-related pathways enriched for hypermethylated CpG islands, many of which were mapped near transcription start sites and first exon regions.

conclusionsThis longitudinal study identified age-associated and timepoint-associated DMPs and DMRs in a sample of elderly Brazilians. Most of the non-replicated CpGs were found to be on the new EPIC array, suggesting that more age-related studies using the EPIC array are required to validate these CpGs. The GO pathway enrichment analyses identified age-related enrichment of several gene sets related to cognitive and physical decline in elderly populations. The enrichment of these sites could provide evidence for age-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in elderly populations.

Indexed as

AgingDNA MethylationAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsBrazilCpG IslandsEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedSouth American PeopleDNA methylationIllumina EPIC arrayLongitudinal studyMolecular aging

Identifiers

PMID39910411
PMCPMC11796210

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