Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41774615›Full record

ArticleEpigenetics2026

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles and ribosomal DNA copy number at birth.

Kathrin Barth, Rossella Alfano, Michelle Plusquin, Congrong Wang, Tim S Nawrot, Dries S Martens

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epigenetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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.

Kathrin BarthCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0009-0008-3499-8303
Rossella AlfanoCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-9374-4727
Michelle PlusquinCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-7271-9722
Congrong WangCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-2488-4918
Tim S NawrotCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-3583-3593
Dries S MartensCentre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-7893-3642

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ribosomal DNA copy number (rDNAcn) and DNA methylation are important modulators of the human genome, both studied in relation to overall cellular function, biological ageing, and disease development. Despite the overlapping roles, their relationship remains poorly understood, especially in the early stages of life, characterized by rapid growth and high cellular demands. Even though previous studies have associated rDNA methylation with cancer and ageing, no study to date has examined the interplay between rDNAcn and whole-genome DNA methylation. In an epigenome-wide association study of 45S rDNAcn variation in 194 newborns, we show strong positive associations between rDNAcn and single DNA methylated CpGs, measured with the Illumina EPIC array. Out of the 122 Bonferroni-significant CpGs, 63.5% were also Bonferroni-significant in a replication cohort of 167 newborns, in which a second EWAS was conducted using DNA methylation data from the Illumina 450K array. The identified CpGs were dispersed over the autosomes and were not functionally related to the rDNA-forming nucleolar-associated domains. The top CpGs were annotated to genes (

Indexed as

DNA Copy Number VariationsDNA MethylationDNA, RibosomalCpG IslandsEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleGenome, HumanGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansInfant, NewbornMaleDNA, Ribosomalbirth cohortearly life agingEWASRibosomal DNAwhole-genome DNA methylation

Identifiers

PMID41774615
PMCPMC12959191

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.