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. 2019 Mar 18;9(1):118.
doi: 10.1038/s41398-019-0446-1.

Pilot study of DNA methylation, molecular aging markers and measures of health and well-being in aging

Chirag M Vyas  1   2 , Aditi Hazra  3 , Shun-Chiao Chang  2 , Weiliang Qiu  2 , Charles F Reynolds 3rd  4 , David Mischoulon  1 , Grace Chang  5 , JoAnn E Manson  2   3   6 , Immaculata De Vivo  2   6 , Olivia I Okereke  7   8   9
Affiliations

Pilot study of DNA methylation, molecular aging markers and measures of health and well-being in aging

Chirag M Vyas et al. Transl Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Relations of DNA methylation markers to other biological aging markers and to psychosocial, behavioral, and health measures remain unclear. The sample included 23 participants (n = 11 cases with psychiatric diagnoses and n = 12 controls without current or lifetime psychiatric disorder), balanced by age and sex. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples; the following were performed: genome-wide DNA methylation assay using Illumina 850k methylationEPIC; PCR assays for relative telomere length (RTL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtCN). Exposures were: case status; depression and anxiety symptoms; psychosocial support; subjective and objective cognition. Outcomes were: DNA methylation age (DNAm age); RTL; mtCN; extrinsic and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA and IEAA). Stronger correlation with chronological age was observed for DNAm age (ρ = 0.86; p < 0.0001) compared to RTL (ρ = -0.53; p < 0.01); mtCN was not correlated with age. DNAm age was more strongly correlated with behavioral and health variables than RTL or mtCN; e.g., correlations with DNAm age: body mass index (ρ = 0.36; p = 0.10); smoking pack-years (ρ = 0.37; p = 0.08); physical activity (ρ = -0.56; p = 0.01); alcohol intake (ρ = 0.56; p = 0.01). DNAm age was inversely correlated with psychosocial support (ρ = -0.42; p = 0.048) and Modified Mini-Mental State score (ρ = -0.44; p = 0.01). Anxiety, psychosocial support, and objective cognition were significantly related to accelerated aging; depression and subjective cognition were not. In conclusion, DNAm age correlated more strongly with chronological age and key psychosocial, behavioral, and health variables than RTL or mtCN. Signals for associations with epigenetic aging were observed for psychosocial and neurobehavioral variables.

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Conflict of interest statement

D.M. has received research support from Nordic Naturals. He has provided unpaid consulting for Pharmavite LLC and Gnosis USA, Inc. He has received honoraria for speaking from the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy and from Blackmores. He has received royalties from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins for published book “Natural Medications for Psychiatric Disorders: Considering the Alternatives.” O.I.O. receives royalties from Springer Publishing for a book on late-life depression prevention. C.F.R. receives payment from the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry as editor of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and royalty income for intellectual property as co-inventor of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Correlation of aging markers and chronological age.
Scatterplots are shown of the Spearman rank correlations between molecular aging markers and chronological age. DNA methylation age (in years) is calculated using the Horvath 353-CpG calculator
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Correlations of DNA methylation age with telomere length and mitochondrial DNA copy number.
Matrix of Spearman rank correlation coefficients and p-values for the three molecular aging markers. Stronger estimated correlation is illustrated by darker color
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Correlation of aging markers and lifestyle characteristics.
Spearman rank correlation coefficients (rho, ρ) and p-values for lifestyle/behavior variables and aging markers are shown. Stronger estimated correlation is illustrated by darker color. Positive correlations are depicted in red, negative correlations are in blue and p-values are in green. Multiple testing hypothesis at False Discovery Rate < 0.05 was used
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Correlations of psychological, social and cognitive measures with molecular aging markers.
a Correlations of psychiatric symptom and psychosocial measures with molecular aging markers. b Correlations of objective and subjective cognitive score measures with molecular aging markers
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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