BioProject

Background: Liquid biopsies analyzing cell-free DNA methylation in plasma offer a non-invasive diagnostic for diseases, with aging biomarker potential underexplored. More...

Background: Liquid biopsies analyzing cell-free DNA methylation in plasma offer a non-invasive diagnostic for diseases, with aging biomarker potential underexplored. Methods: Utilizing enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq), this study assessed cfDNA methylation patterns in aging with blood from 35 healthy individuals. Results: It found aging signatures, including higher cfDNA levels and variations in fragment sizes, plus over 2 million age-related differentially methylated CpG sites. A biological age predictive model based on 41 CpG sites showed a strong correlation with chronological age, verified by two datasets. Age-specific epigenetic shifts linked to inflammation were revealed through differentially methylated regions profiling and Olink proteomics. Conclusion: These findings indicate cfDNA methylation as a potential biomarker for aging, and it might exacerbate immunoinflammatory reactivity in older individuals. Overall design: The study utilized enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq) to explore the cfDNA methylation profiles and patterns in aging, aiming to determine cfDNA methylation's potential as an aging marker. The present study involved blood samples collected from 35 healthy individuals. Less...