Wildfire-related PM2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study

Rongbin Xu; Shanshan Li; Yao Wu; Xu Yue; Ee Ming Wong; Melissa C. Southey; John L. Hopper; Michael J. Abramson; Shuai Li; Yuming Guo

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704

Wildfire-related PM_2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study

Rongbin Xu, Shanshan Li, Yao Wu, Xu Yue, Ee Ming Wong, Melissa C. Southey, John L. Hopper, Michael J. Abramson, Shuai Li, Yuming Guo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Wildfire-related fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has many adverse health impacts, but its impacts on human epigenome are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the associations between long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM_2.5 and blood DNA methylation, and whether the associations differ from those with non-wildfire-related PM_2.5. Methods: We studied 479 Australian women comprising 132 twin pairs and 215 of their sisters. Blood-derived DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Data on 3-year (year of blood collection and previous two years) average wildfire-related and non-wildfire-related PM_2.5 at 0.01°×0.01° spatial resolution were created by combining information from satellite observations, chemical transport models, and ground-based observations. Exposure data were linked to each participant's home address, assuming the address did not change during the exposure window. For DNA methylation of each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG), and for global DNA methylation represented by the average of all measured CpGs or CpGs in repetitive elements, we evaluated their associations with wildfire- or non-wildfire-related PM_2.5 using a within-sibship analysis controlling for factors shared between siblings and other important covariates. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were defined by comb-p and DMRcate. Results: The 3-year average wildfire-related PM_2.5 (range: 0.3 to 7.6 µg/m³, mean: 1.6 µg/m³) was negatively, but not significantly (p-values greater than 0.05) associated with all seven global DNA methylation measures. There were 26 CpGs and 33 DMRs associated with wildfire-related PM_2.5 (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) mapped to 47 genes enriched for pathways related to inflammatory regulation and platelet activation. These genes have been related to many human diseases or phenotypes e.g., cancer, mental disorders, diabetes, obesity, asthma, blood pressure. These CpGs, DMRs and enriched pathways did not overlap with the 1 CpG and 7 DMRs associated with non-wildfire-related PM_2.5. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM_2.5 was associated with various blood DNA methylation signatures in Australian women, and these were distinct from those associated with non-wildfire-related PM_2.5.

Original language	English
Article number	107704
Number of pages	12
Journal	Environment International
Volume	171
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704
Publication status	Published - Jan 2023

Keywords

DNA methylation
Epigenome-wide association study
PM
Twin and family study
Wildfire smoke

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{8b147625fac54ba4ae9b4cdad9a78093,

title = "Wildfire-related PM2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study",

abstract = "Background: Wildfire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has many adverse health impacts, but its impacts on human epigenome are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the associations between long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 and blood DNA methylation, and whether the associations differ from those with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Methods: We studied 479 Australian women comprising 132 twin pairs and 215 of their sisters. Blood-derived DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Data on 3-year (year of blood collection and previous two years) average wildfire-related and non-wildfire-related PM2.5 at 0.01°×0.01° spatial resolution were created by combining information from satellite observations, chemical transport models, and ground-based observations. Exposure data were linked to each participant's home address, assuming the address did not change during the exposure window. For DNA methylation of each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG), and for global DNA methylation represented by the average of all measured CpGs or CpGs in repetitive elements, we evaluated their associations with wildfire- or non-wildfire-related PM2.5 using a within-sibship analysis controlling for factors shared between siblings and other important covariates. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were defined by comb-p and DMRcate. Results: The 3-year average wildfire-related PM2.5 (range: 0.3 to 7.6 µg/m3, mean: 1.6 µg/m3) was negatively, but not significantly (p-values greater than 0.05) associated with all seven global DNA methylation measures. There were 26 CpGs and 33 DMRs associated with wildfire-related PM2.5 (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) mapped to 47 genes enriched for pathways related to inflammatory regulation and platelet activation. These genes have been related to many human diseases or phenotypes e.g., cancer, mental disorders, diabetes, obesity, asthma, blood pressure. These CpGs, DMRs and enriched pathways did not overlap with the 1 CpG and 7 DMRs associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 was associated with various blood DNA methylation signatures in Australian women, and these were distinct from those associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5.",

keywords = "DNA methylation, Epigenome-wide association study, PM, Twin and family study, Wildfire smoke",

author = "Rongbin Xu and Shanshan Li and Yao Wu and Xu Yue and Wong, {Ee Ming} and Southey, {Melissa C.} and Hopper, {John L.} and Abramson, {Michael J.} and Shuai Li and Yuming Guo",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by Monash University Postgraduate Publication Award, China Scholarship Council [grant number 201806010405], Australian National Health and Medical Research Council [grant numbers APP1163693, APP1109193, APP1155163, 1050561 and 1079102], Victorian Cancer Agency (grant number ECRF 19020), and Cancer Australia and National Breast Cancer Foundation (grant number 509307). Funding Information: We thank all the participants of the Australian Mammographic Density Twins and Sisters Study. Thank Dr. Gongbo Chen and Dr. Yadong Lei for assistance in wildfire data preparation and linkage. This work was supported by Monash University Postgraduate Publication Award, China Scholarship Council [grant number 201806010405], Australian National Health and Medical Research Council [grant numbers APP1163693, APP1109193, APP1155163, 1050561 and 1079102], Victorian Cancer Agency (grant number ECRF 19020), and Cancer Australia and National Breast Cancer Foundation (grant number 509307). The funding bodies did not play any role in the study design, data collection, data analyses, results interpretation and writing of this manuscript. The AMDTSS was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of The University of Melbourne. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The present study was approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors",

year = "2023",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704",

language = "English",

volume = "171",

journal = "Environment International",

issn = "0160-4120",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Wildfire-related PM2.5 and DNA methylation

T2 - An Australian twin and family study

AU - Xu, Rongbin

AU - Li, Shanshan

AU - Wu, Yao

AU - Yue, Xu

AU - Wong, Ee Ming

AU - Southey, Melissa C.

AU - Hopper, John L.

AU - Abramson, Michael J.

AU - Li, Shuai

AU - Guo, Yuming

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by Monash University Postgraduate Publication Award, China Scholarship Council [grant number 201806010405], Australian National Health and Medical Research Council [grant numbers APP1163693, APP1109193, APP1155163, 1050561 and 1079102], Victorian Cancer Agency (grant number ECRF 19020), and Cancer Australia and National Breast Cancer Foundation (grant number 509307). Funding Information: We thank all the participants of the Australian Mammographic Density Twins and Sisters Study. Thank Dr. Gongbo Chen and Dr. Yadong Lei for assistance in wildfire data preparation and linkage. This work was supported by Monash University Postgraduate Publication Award, China Scholarship Council [grant number 201806010405], Australian National Health and Medical Research Council [grant numbers APP1163693, APP1109193, APP1155163, 1050561 and 1079102], Victorian Cancer Agency (grant number ECRF 19020), and Cancer Australia and National Breast Cancer Foundation (grant number 509307). The funding bodies did not play any role in the study design, data collection, data analyses, results interpretation and writing of this manuscript. The AMDTSS was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of The University of Melbourne. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The present study was approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2023/1

Y1 - 2023/1

N2 - Background: Wildfire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has many adverse health impacts, but its impacts on human epigenome are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the associations between long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 and blood DNA methylation, and whether the associations differ from those with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Methods: We studied 479 Australian women comprising 132 twin pairs and 215 of their sisters. Blood-derived DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Data on 3-year (year of blood collection and previous two years) average wildfire-related and non-wildfire-related PM2.5 at 0.01°×0.01° spatial resolution were created by combining information from satellite observations, chemical transport models, and ground-based observations. Exposure data were linked to each participant's home address, assuming the address did not change during the exposure window. For DNA methylation of each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG), and for global DNA methylation represented by the average of all measured CpGs or CpGs in repetitive elements, we evaluated their associations with wildfire- or non-wildfire-related PM2.5 using a within-sibship analysis controlling for factors shared between siblings and other important covariates. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were defined by comb-p and DMRcate. Results: The 3-year average wildfire-related PM2.5 (range: 0.3 to 7.6 µg/m3, mean: 1.6 µg/m3) was negatively, but not significantly (p-values greater than 0.05) associated with all seven global DNA methylation measures. There were 26 CpGs and 33 DMRs associated with wildfire-related PM2.5 (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) mapped to 47 genes enriched for pathways related to inflammatory regulation and platelet activation. These genes have been related to many human diseases or phenotypes e.g., cancer, mental disorders, diabetes, obesity, asthma, blood pressure. These CpGs, DMRs and enriched pathways did not overlap with the 1 CpG and 7 DMRs associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 was associated with various blood DNA methylation signatures in Australian women, and these were distinct from those associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5.

AB - Background: Wildfire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has many adverse health impacts, but its impacts on human epigenome are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the associations between long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 and blood DNA methylation, and whether the associations differ from those with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Methods: We studied 479 Australian women comprising 132 twin pairs and 215 of their sisters. Blood-derived DNA methylation was measured using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. Data on 3-year (year of blood collection and previous two years) average wildfire-related and non-wildfire-related PM2.5 at 0.01°×0.01° spatial resolution were created by combining information from satellite observations, chemical transport models, and ground-based observations. Exposure data were linked to each participant's home address, assuming the address did not change during the exposure window. For DNA methylation of each cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG), and for global DNA methylation represented by the average of all measured CpGs or CpGs in repetitive elements, we evaluated their associations with wildfire- or non-wildfire-related PM2.5 using a within-sibship analysis controlling for factors shared between siblings and other important covariates. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were defined by comb-p and DMRcate. Results: The 3-year average wildfire-related PM2.5 (range: 0.3 to 7.6 µg/m3, mean: 1.6 µg/m3) was negatively, but not significantly (p-values greater than 0.05) associated with all seven global DNA methylation measures. There were 26 CpGs and 33 DMRs associated with wildfire-related PM2.5 (Bonferroni adjusted p-value < 0.05) mapped to 47 genes enriched for pathways related to inflammatory regulation and platelet activation. These genes have been related to many human diseases or phenotypes e.g., cancer, mental disorders, diabetes, obesity, asthma, blood pressure. These CpGs, DMRs and enriched pathways did not overlap with the 1 CpG and 7 DMRs associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2.5 was associated with various blood DNA methylation signatures in Australian women, and these were distinct from those associated with non-wildfire-related PM2.5.

KW - DNA methylation

KW - Epigenome-wide association study

KW - PM

KW - Twin and family study

KW - Wildfire smoke

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U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107704

M3 - Article

C2 - 36542997

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SN - 0160-4120

VL - 171

JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 107704

ER -

Wildfire-related PM_2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Precision Medicine for Prostate and Breast Cancer

Improving the assessment of environmental health risks with new technology and novel approaches

Environmental exposure, human behaviour and respiratory health for children with asthma.

National Conference of Child and Adolescent Health of China

International Society for Environmental Epidemiology Asia and Western Pacific Chapter & International Society for Exposure Science Asia Chapter Joint Conference 2022

Cite this

Wildfire-related PM2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Precision Medicine for Prostate and Breast Cancer

Improving the assessment of environmental health risks with new technology and novel approaches

Environmental exposure, human behaviour and respiratory health for children with asthma.

Activities

National Conference of Child and Adolescent Health of China

International Society for Environmental Epidemiology Asia and Western Pacific Chapter & International Society for Exposure Science Asia Chapter Joint Conference 2022

Cite this

Wildfire-related PM_2.5 and DNA methylation: An Australian twin and family study