Characterizing the hypomethylated DNA methylation profile of nucleated red blood cells from cord blood. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: de Goede, Olivia M; Lavoie, Pascal M; Robinson, Wendy P
• Is Part Of: Epigenomics. Volume 8:Number 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1481
• Page End: 1494
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: cord blood -- DNA methylation -- epigenetics -- Illumina 450K array -- nucleated red blood cells -- placenta; Epigenesis -- Periodicals; Genomics -- Periodicals; Chromatin -- Periodicals; DNA -- Periodicals; 572.87
• DOI: 10.2217/epi-2016-0069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-1911

Abstract

Aim: To provide insight into fetal nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) development using genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) profiling.Materials & methods: The DNAm profile (Illumina 450K array) of cord blood (n = 7) derived nRBCs was compared with B cells, CD4 and CD8 T cells, natural killer cells, granulocytes, monocytes and placenta (n = 5).Results: nRBCs and placenta had similarly low array-wide DNAm compared with white blood cells, but their patterns of hypomethylation differed at biologically relevant subsets of the array. High interindividual variability in nRBC DNAm was driven by a negative association between DNAm and nRBC count.Conclusion: nRBC hypomethylation is likely an epigenetic signature of erythropoiesis rather than of early development. Variability in nRBC DNAm may stem from differences in the cell population's maturity or hematopoietic source.