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Updated: Sep 24, 2025

Exploring the Arginine Methylome by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Published on: December 16, 2021
Making sense of the ageing methylome
Kirsten Seale1, Steve Horvath2,3, Andrew Teschendorff4,5
1Institute for Health and Sport (iHeS), Victoria University, Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract:
Over time, the human DNA methylation landscape accrues substantial damage, which has been associated with a broad range of age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Various age-related DNA methylation changes have been described, including at the level of individual CpGs, such as differential and variable methylation, and at the level of the whole methylome, including entropy and correlation networks. Here, we review these changes in the ageing methylome as well as the statistical tools that can be used to quantify them. We detail the evidence linking DNA methylation to ageing phenotypes and the longevity strategies aimed at altering both DNA methylation patterns and machinery to extend healthspan and lifespan. Lastly, we discuss theories on the mechanistic causes of epigenetic ageing.
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