Diet quality associated peripheral blood DNA methylation signatures. (2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Jiantao; Rebholz, Casey; Braun, Kim; Reynolds, Lindsay; Aslibekyan, Stella; Voortman, Trudy; Fornage, Myriam; Levy, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Volume 79(2020)Supplement OCE2
• Publication Date: 2020
• Subjects: Nutrition -- Congresses; 612.30993
• DOI: 10.1017/S0029665120000415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-6651

Abstract

Abstract: Leukocyte DNA methylation patterns associated with habitual diet may reveal molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of diet-related chronic diseases and highlight targets for prevention and treatment. We aimed to examine peripheral blood derived leukocyte DNA methylation signatures associated with diet quality. We meta-analyzed epigenome-wide associations between diet quality and DNA methylation levels at over 400, 000 cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs). We conducted analysis primarily in 6, 662 European ancestry (EA) participants and secondarily in a group additionally including 3, 062 participants of non-European ancestry from five population-based cohort studies. DNA methylation profiles were measured in whole blood, CD4 + T-cells, or CD14 + monocytes. We used food frequency questionnaires to assess habitual intake and constructed two diet quality scores: the Mediterranean-style diet score (MDS) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Our primary analysis identified 32 diet-associated CpGs, 12 CpGs for MDS and 24 CpGs for AHEI (at FDR < 0.05, corresponding p-values = 1.2×10 -6 and 3.1×10 -6, respectively) in EA participants. Four of these CpGs were associated with both MDS and AHEI. In addition, Mendelian randomization analysis indicated that seven diet-associated CpGs were causally linked to at least one of the CVD risk factors. For example, hypermethylation of cg11250194 ( FADS2 ), which was associated with higher diet quality scores, was also associated with lower fasting triglycerides concentrations (p-value = 1.5×10 -14 ) and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (p-value = 1.7×10 -8 ). Transethnic meta-analysis identified nine additional CpGs associated with diet quality (either MDS or AHEI) at FDR < 0.05. Overall quality of habitual diet was associated with differential peripheral leukocyte DNA methylation levels of 32 CpGs in EA participants. The diet-associated CpGs may serve as biomarkers and targets for preventive measures in CVD health. Future studies are warranted to examine diet-associated DNA methylation patterns in larger, ethnically diverse study samples.