Journal article
Social factors and leukocyte DNA methylation of repetitive sequences: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis
PloS one, v 8(1), pp e54018-e54018
2013
PMID: 23320117
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Epigenetic changes are a potential mechanism contributing to race/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health. However, there is scant evidence of the race/ethnic and socioeconomic patterning of epigenetic marks. We used data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Stress Study (N = 988) to describe age- and gender-independent associations of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) with methylation of Alu and LINE-1 repetitive elements in leukocyte DNA. Mean Alu and Line 1 methylation in the full sample were 24% and 81% respectively. In multivariable linear regression models, African-Americans had 0.27% (p<0.01) and Hispanics 0.20% (p<0.05) lower Alu methylation than whites. In contrast, African-Americans had 0.41% (p<0.01) and Hispanics 0.39% (p<0.01) higher LINE-1 methylation than whites. These associations remained after adjustment for SES. In addition, a one standard deviation higher wealth was associated with 0.09% (p<0.01) higher Alu and 0.15% (p<0.01) lower LINE-1 methylation in age- and gender-adjusted models. Additional adjustment for race/ethnicity did not alter this pattern. No associations were observed with income, education or childhood SES. Our findings, from a large community-based sample, suggest that DNA methylation is socially patterned. Future research, including studies of gene-specific methylation, is needed to understand better the opposing associations of Alu and LINE-1 methylation with race/ethnicity and wealth as well as the extent to which small methylation changes in these sequences may influence disparities in health.
Metrics
7 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Social factors and leukocyte DNA methylation of repetitive sequences: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis
- Creators
- Malavika A Subramanyam - Indian Institute of Technology GandhinagarAna V Diez-Roux - University of MichiganJ Richard Pilsner - University of Massachusetts AmherstEduardo Villamor - University of MichiganKathleen M Donohue - Columbia University Irving Medical CenterYongmei Liu - Wake Forest UniversityNancy S Jenny - University of Vermont
- Publication Details
- PloS one, v 8(1), pp e54018-e54018
- Publisher
- Public LIbrary of Science (PLOS)
- Grant note
- N01HC95169 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95161 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95164 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95169 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95167 / NHLBI NIH HHS RR-024156 / NCRR NIH HHS N01-HC-95166 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95163 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC-95159 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95166 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95163 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95168 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95165 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95160 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95160 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95162 / NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL076831 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01 HC095159 / NHLBI NIH HHS UL1 RR024156 / NCRR NIH HHS N01HC95168 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95161 / NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL101161 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95167 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01-HC-95164 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95165 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01HC95162 / NHLBI NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative; Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000313429800084
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84872181184
- Other Identifier
- 991020111922104721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health