Genetics and environment distinctively shape the human immune cell epigenome.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Epigenetics
• Genetics

Background:

• The epigenome of human immune cells is influenced by genetics and environment.
• The precise contributions of these factors are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how pathogen/chemical exposures and genetic variations impact the immune cell epigenome.
• To characterize exposure-associated differentially methylated regions (eDMRs) and genotype-associated DMRs (gDMRs).

Main Methods:

• Single-nucleus methylation sequencing.
• Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq).

Main Results:

• Identified distinct eDMRs and differentially accessible regions correlated with exposures.
• Detected gDMRs, with eDMRs in regulatory regions and gDMRs in gene bodies.
• Found colocalization of disease SNPs with methylation QTLs, offering cell-type-specific genetic insights.

Conclusions:

• Immune cell epigenome is shaped by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors.
• Findings advance understanding of immune cell regulation in health and disease.