Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Professor Mark PearceORCiD, Dr Kate Potter, Laura Barrett, Professor Louise Parker, Professor John Mathers, Professor Caroline Relton
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Background Patterns of DNA methylation change with age and these changes are believed to be associated with the development of common complex diseases. The hypothesis that Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element 1 (LINE-1) DNA methylation (an index of global DNA methylation) is associated with biomarkers of metabolic health was investigated in this study. Methods Global LINE-1 DNA methylation was quantified by pyrosequencing in blood-derived DNA samples from 228 individuals, aged 49-51 years, from the Newcastle Thousand Families Study (NTFS). Associations between log-transformed LINE-1 DNA methylation levels and anthropometric and blood biochemical measurements, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin secretion and resistance were examined. Results Linear regression, after adjustment for sex, demonstrated positive associations between log-transformed LINE-1 DNA methylation and fasting glucose {coefficient 2.80 [ 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-5.22]}, total cholesterol [4.76 (95% CI 1.43-8.10)], triglycerides [3.83 (95% CI 1.30-6.37)] and LDL-cholesterol [5.38 (95% CI 2.12-8.64)] concentrations. A negative association was observed between log-transformed LINE-1 methylation and both HDL cholesterol concentration [-1.43 (95% CI -2.38 to -0.48)] and HDL: LDL ratio [-1.06 (95% CI -1.76 to -0.36)]. These coefficients reflect the millimoles per litre change in biochemical measurements per unit increase in log-transformed LINE-1 methylation. Conclusions These novel associations between global LINE-1 DNA methylation and blood glycaemic and lipid profiles highlight a potential role for epigenetic biomarkers as predictors of metabolic disease and may be relevant to future diagnosis, prevention and treatment of this group of disorders. Further work is required to establish the role of confounding and reverse causation in the observed associations.
Author(s): Pearce MS, McConnell JC, Potter C, Barrett LM, Parker L, Mathers JC, Relton CL
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Epidemiology
Year: 2012
Volume: 41
Issue: 1
Pages: 210-217
Print publication date: 01/02/2012
ISSN (print): 0300-5771
ISSN (electronic): 1464-3685
Publisher: Oxford University Press
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/dys020
DOI: 10.1093/ije/dys020
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
