Radhika Dhingra1, Jamaji C Nwanaji-Enwerem2, Madeline Samet3, Cavin K Ward-Caviness4. 1. National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. 2. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 3. Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, USA. 4. National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. ward-caviness.cavin@epa.gov.
Abstract
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.
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.
Entities:
Keywords:
DNA methylation age; Environment; Environmental epidemiology; Environmental exposure; Epidemiology; Epigenetic age
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