Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40347138›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

Emergence of CpG-cluster blanket methylation in aged tissues: a novel signature of epigenomic aging.

Yong-Kook Kang, Byungkuk Min, Jaemin Eom, Jung Sun Park, Jaewoong Jang, Sangkyun Jeong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. 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

6 authors.

Yong-Kook KangAging Convergence Research Center (ACRC), Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-3371-4491
Byungkuk MinAging Convergence Research Center (ACRC), Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-5419-6964
Jaemin EomAging Convergence Research Center (ACRC), Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
Jung Sun ParkAging Convergence Research Center (ACRC), Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
Jaewoong JangAging Convergence Research Center (ACRC), Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, South Korea.
Sangkyun JeongGenomics Department, Keyomics Co. Ltd, 17 Techno4-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34013, South Korea.

Funding

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology KGM1132511National Research Council of Science & Technology CRC22014-100
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aging is accompanied by widespread DNA methylation changes across the genome. While age-related methylation studies typically focus on individual CpGs, cluster analysis provides more robust data and improved interpretation. We characterized age-associated CpG-cluster methylation changes in mouse spleens, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and livers. We identified a novel signature termed blanket methylations (BMs), fully methylated CpG clusters absent in young tissues but appearing in aged tissues. BM formation was locus- and cell-dependent, with minimal overlap among tissues. Statistical analysis, heterogeneity assessment, and random modeling demonstrated that BMs arise through nonrandom mechanisms and correlate with accelerated aging. Notably, BMs appeared in chronologically young mice with progeroid or disease-driven aging, including in 4-month-old Zmpste24-/- (lifespan ∼5 months) and 3-month-old Huntington's disease model mice (lifespan ∼4 months). The detection of BMs in purified CD4+ T cells demonstrated that their occurrence is intrinsic to aging cells rather than a result of infiltration from other tissues. Further investigation revealed age-related downregulation of zinc-finger-CxxC-domain genes, including Tet1 and Tet3, which protect CpG islands from methylation. Importantly, TET1 or TET3 depletion induced BM formation, linking their loss to age-associated methylation drift. These findings establish BMs as a robust marker of epigenomic aging, providing insight into age-related methylation changes.

Indexed as

AgingCpG IslandsDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticAnimalsCD4-Positive T-LymphocytesDioxygenasesDNA-Binding ProteinsEpigenomicsLiverMaleMembrane ProteinsMiceMice, Inbred C57BLProto-Oncogene ProteinsSpleenDioxygenasesDNA-Binding ProteinsMembrane ProteinsProto-Oncogene ProteinsTET1 protein, mouse

Identifiers

PMID40347138
PMCPMC12065108

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Registered trials

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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.