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Cigarette smoking significantly alters sperm DNA methylation patterns
T G Jenkins1, E R James1, D F Alonso2
1Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Andrology
|September 27, 2017
Summary
Paternal smoking alters sperm DNA methylation patterns, potentially explaining offspring health risks. These widespread changes in DNA methylation warrant further investigation into transmission and transgenerational effects.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Epigenetics
- Environmental health
Background:
- Paternal smoking is linked to offspring morbidities.
- The mechanisms, possibly epigenetic, are not fully understood.
- Spermatozoa may transmit epigenetic modifications.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate cigarette smoke's impact on sperm DNA methylation.
- Examine consistent and stochastic DNA methylation alterations.
- Correlate methylation changes with offspring health risks.
Main Methods:
- Compared sperm DNA methylation in 78 smokers and 78 non-smokers.
- Utilized the Infinium Human Methylation 450 beadchip.
- Analyzed differential methylation at CpGs and genomic regions.
Main Results:
- Identified 141 significantly differentially methylated CpGs associated with smoking.
- Observed a trend towards increased genome-wide methylation variance in smokers' sperm.
- Found widespread DNA methylation alterations in smokers.
Conclusions:
- Paternal smoking induces significant sperm DNA methylation changes.
- These alterations may mediate offspring health disparities.
- Further research is needed to confirm transmission and transgenerational effects.
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