FHL2 DNA methylation in tooth root surfaces as a tool for age estimation

Area of Science:

• Forensic science
• Epigenetics
• Odontology

Background:

• Accurate age estimation is crucial for forensic investigations involving skeletal and dental remains.
• DNA methylation in genes like FHL2 is a promising epigenetic marker for age determination.
• Previous tooth methylation assays often destroy dental structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate FHL2 methylation levels in tooth root surface samples as a reliable marker for age estimation in Japanese individuals.
• To assess a minimally invasive method for epigenetic age estimation.
• To determine if environmental factors affect methylation scores.

Main Methods:

• Collected root surface samples from extracted third molars.
• Analyzed FHL2 methylation using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM).
• Assessed correlation between methylation scores and chronological age, considering factors like coffee consumption, smoking, and bone resorption.

Main Results:

• FHL2 methylation scores showed a significant correlation with chronological age.
• Methylation levels were not affected by coffee consumption or smoking habits.
• Alveolar bone resorption did not significantly alter the age-methylation correlation.

Conclusions:

• Tooth root surface FHL2 methylation is a viable, minimally invasive marker for forensic age estimation.
• This method preserves tooth morphology and is applicable to decomposed remains.
• Combining root surface methylation with other genetic markers may improve age estimation accuracy.