The nasal methylome as a biomarker of asthma and airway inflammation in children.

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The nasal cellular epigenome may serve as biomarker of airway disease and environmental response. Here we collect nasal swabs from the anterior nares of 547 children (mean-age 12.9 y), and measure DNA methylation (DNAm) with the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip. We perform nasal Epigenome-Wide Association analyses (EWAS) of current asthma, allergen sensitization, allergic rhinitis, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and lung function. We find multiple differentially methylated CpGs (FDR < 0.05) and Regions (DMRs; ≥ 5-CpGs and FDR < 0.05) for asthma (285-CpGs), FeNO (8,372-CpGs; 191-DMRs), total IgE (3-CpGs; 3-DMRs), environment IgE (17-CpGs; 4-DMRs), allergic asthma (1,235-CpGs; 7-DMRs) and bronchodilator response (130-CpGs). Discovered DMRs annotated to genes implicated in allergic asthma, Th2 activation and eosinophilia (EPX, IL4, IL13) and genes previously associated with asthma and IgE in EWAS of blood (ACOT7, SLC25A25). Asthma, IgE and FeNO were associated with nasal epigenetic age acceleration. The nasal epigenome is a sensitive biomarker of asthma, allergy and airway inflammation.

Investigators
Abbreviation
Nat Commun
Publication Date
2019-07-12
Volume
10
Issue
1
Page Numbers
3095
Pubmed ID
31300640
Medium
Electronic
Full Title
The nasal methylome as a biomarker of asthma and airway inflammation in children.
Authors
Cardenas A, Sordillo JE, Rifas-Shiman SL, Chung W, Liang L, Coull BA, Hivert MF, Lai PS, Forno E, Celedón JC, Litonjua AA, Brennan KJ, DeMeo DL, Baccarelli AA, Oken E, Gold DR