Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42086946›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2026

Early-Life DNA methylation at TRIM6 and TTC23 promoters associates with respiratory infections at one year.

Karlie Edwards, Sarah M Merrill, Nicole L Letourneau, Chaini Konwar, Nicole Gladish, Julie L MacIsaac, Gerald F Giesbrecht, Piush Mandhane, Elinor Simons, Theo J Moraes and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

15 authors.

Karlie Edwards *Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sarah M Merrill *Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Nicole L LetourneauDepartment of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Chaini KonwarEdwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Nicole GladishEdwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Julie L MacIsaacEdwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Gerald F GiesbrechtDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Piush MandhaneDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Elinor SimonsDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Theo J MoraesDepartment of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Meghan B AzadDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Padmaja SubbaraoDepartment of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Stuart E TurveyBritish Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Kharah M RossDepartment of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Michael S KoborEdwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. michael.kobor@ubc.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDNA methylation (DNAm) is a well-characterized epigenetic modification that serves as a predictive marker of disease risk across the lifespan. Given the rapid development of the first 1000 days, infancy represents a critical window for examining how pediatric epigenetic signatures may shape future health trajectories.

methodsHere, we examined associations between blood DNAm in 3-month-old infants from a Canadian birth cohort and the number of respiratory infections experienced between 12 and 18 months of age, hypothesizing that a potential epigenetic signature in early-life might be predictive of future risk.

resultsWe discovered eight CpG sites with increased DNAm in the promoter regions of two genes: TRIM6 and TTC23. Post hoc characterization suggested that the CpGs in TRIM6 might have functional relevance in CD4T cells. Further, both genes are involved with immune system regulation and respiratory function, processes directly relevant to the investigated health outcome: respiratory infections. Additionally, the associated CpGs in TRIM6 were replicated in a second Canadian birth cohort with similar characteristics, propensity-matched on number of respiratory infections and estimated cell type proportions.

conclusionTogether these findings illuminated the potential utility of DNAm as a predictor of future respiratory infections in pediatric populations. IMPACT: DNAm signatures in infancy may help predict later susceptibility to respiratory infections, highlighting early-life epigenetic marks as potential risk indicators. Our study identified differentially methylated CpGs within the promoter regions of only two genes, TRIM6 and TTC23, an uncommon pattern that may point to biologically meaningful regulation. These findings expand on existing EWAS literature by showing that persistent, biologically relevant DNAm differences can be detected across cohorts, underscoring their predictive potential for lifelong health outcomes.

Identifiers

PMID42086946

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.