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Related Experiment Videos

Accelerated epigenetic aging in Werner syndrome.

Anna Maierhofer1, Julia Flunkert1, Junko Oshima2,3

  • 1Institute of Human Genetics, Julius Maximilians University, Würzburg, Germany.

Aging
|April 6, 2017
PubMed
Summary

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Werner syndrome (WS) accelerates aging, increasing epigenetic age in blood cells. This epigenetic age acceleration is independent of blood cell composition changes, suggesting a link to accelerated aging in WS patients.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics and Epigenetics
  • Aging Research
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Werner syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder characterized by numerous clinical signs of premature aging.
  • Accelerated DNA damage is a known feature of WS due to its underlying mutation.
  • The relationship between WS and epigenetic aging, specifically using DNA methylation biomarkers, remains unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether Werner syndrome is associated with an increased epigenetic age.
  • To determine if epigenetic age acceleration in WS is linked to changes in blood cell composition.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of whole blood DNA methylation data from 18 WS cases and 18 age-matched controls.
  • Utilized the "Epigenetic Clock" (DNA methylation-based biomarker) to assess epigenetic age.
Keywords:
DNA methylationWerner syndromeepigenetic clockepigeneticsprogeria

Related Experiment Videos

  • Employed multivariate modeling to adjust for chronological age, gender, and blood cell counts.

    • Main Results:

    • WS cases showed significantly increased extrinsic (p=0.0072) and intrinsic (p=0.04) epigenetic age acceleration compared to controls.
    • WS was associated with a DNA methylation age increase of approximately 6.4 years (p=0.011), independent of age, gender, and blood cell counts.
    • A potential reduction in naïve CD8+ T cells was observed in WS patients (p=0.025).

    Conclusions:

    • Werner syndrome is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging of blood cells.
    • This epigenetic age acceleration is independent of alterations in blood cell composition.
    • The causal role of this epigenetic alteration in WS phenotypes requires further investigation.