DNA Methylation Age-Environmental Influences, Health Impacts, and Its Role in Environmental Epidemiology
Citation:
Dhingra, R., J. Nwanji-Enwerem, M. Samet, AND C. Ward-Caviness. DNA Methylation Age-Environmental Influences, Health Impacts, and Its Role in Environmental Epidemiology. Current Environmental Health Reports. Springer International Publishing AG, Cham (ZG), Switzerland, 5(3):317-327, (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-018-0203-2
Impact/Purpose:
This is a review of the current literature surrounding DNA methylation-based aging biomarkers. These biomarkers are influenced by the external environment and can have impacts on health outcomes. This review pulls together both the environmental and health research related to these biomarkers.
Description:
Purpose of review: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: DNA methylation-based aging biomarkers are valuable tools for evaluating the aging process from a molecular perspective. These epigenetic aging biomarkers can be evaluated across the lifespan and are tissue specific. This review examines the literature relating environmental exposures to DNA methylation-based aging biomarkers and also the literature evaluating these biomarkers as predictors of health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: Multiple studies evaluated the association between air pollution and DNA methylation age and consistently observed that higher exposures are associated with elevated DNA methylation age. Psychosocial exposures, e.g., traumas and adolescent adversity, and infections are also associated with epigenetic aging. DNA methylation age has been repeatedly associated with mortality, cancer, and cognitive impairment. DNA methylation age is responsive to the environment and predictive of health outcomes. Studies are still needed to evaluate whether DNA methylation age acts as a mediator or modifier of environmental health effects and to understand the impact of factors such as race, gender, and genetics.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: DNA Methylation Age-Environmental Influences, Health Impacts, and Its Role in Environmental Epidemiology