Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters

Jaclyn M. Goodrich; Miriam M. Calkins; Alberto J. Caban-Martinez; Todd Stueckle; Casey Grant; Antonia M. Calafat; Amy Nematollahi; Alesia M. Jung; Judith M. Graber; Timothy Jenkins; Angela L. Slitt; Alisa Dewald; Julianne Cook Botelho; Shawn Beitel; Sally Littau; John Gulotta; Darin Wallentine; Jeff Hughes; Charles Popp; Jefferey L. Burgess

doi:10.2217/epi-2021-0225

Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters

Jaclyn M. Goodrich, Miriam M. Calkins, Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, Todd Stueckle, Casey Grant, Antonia M. Calafat, Amy Nematollahi, Alesia M. Jung, Judith M. Graber, Timothy Jenkins, Angela L. Slitt, Alisa Dewald, Julianne Cook Botelho, Shawn Beitel, Sally Littau, John Gulotta, Darin Wallentine, Jeff Hughes, Charles Popp, Jefferey L. Burgess

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent chemicals that firefighters encounter. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could serve as PFASs toxicity biomarkers. Methods: With a sample size of 197 firefighters, we quantified the serum concentrations of nine PFASs, blood leukocyte DNA methylation and epigenetic age indicators via the EPIC array. We examined the associations between PFASs with epigenetic age, site- and region-specific DNA methylation, adjusting for confounders. Results: Perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and the sum of branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate (Sm-PFOS) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age. Branched PFOA, linear PFOS, perfluorononanoate, perfluorodecanoate and perfluoroundecanoate were associated with differentially methylated loci and regions. Conclusion: PFASs concentrations are associated with accelerated epigenetic age and locus-specific DNA methylation. The implications for PFASs toxicity merit further investigation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1619-1636
Number of pages	18
Journal	Epigenomics
Volume	13
Issue number	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2217/epi-2021-0225
State	Published - Oct 2021

Keywords

Environmental exposures
Epigenetic age
Epigenomics
Firefighter
Occupational exposures
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Genetics
Cancer Research

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10.2217/epi-2021-0225

Cite this

Goodrich, J. M., Calkins, M. M., Caban-Martinez, A. J., Stueckle, T., Grant, C., Calafat, A. M., Nematollahi, A., Jung, A. M., Graber, J. M., Jenkins, T., Slitt, A. L., Dewald, A., Cook Botelho, J., Beitel, S., Littau, S., Gulotta, J., Wallentine, D., Hughes, J., Popp, C., & Burgess, J. L. (2021). Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters. Epigenomics, 13(20), 1619-1636. https://doi.org/10.2217/epi-2021-0225

Goodrich, JM, Calkins, MM, Caban-Martinez, AJ, Stueckle, T, Grant, C, Calafat, AM, Nematollahi, A, Jung, AM, Graber, JM, Jenkins, T, Slitt, AL, Dewald, A, Cook Botelho, J, Beitel, S, Littau, S, Gulotta, J, Wallentine, D, Hughes, J, Popp, C & Burgess, JL 2021, 'Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters', Epigenomics, vol. 13, no. 20, pp. 1619-1636. https://doi.org/10.2217/epi-2021-0225

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title = "Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters",

abstract = "Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent chemicals that firefighters encounter. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could serve as PFASs toxicity biomarkers. Methods: With a sample size of 197 firefighters, we quantified the serum concentrations of nine PFASs, blood leukocyte DNA methylation and epigenetic age indicators via the EPIC array. We examined the associations between PFASs with epigenetic age, site- and region-specific DNA methylation, adjusting for confounders. Results: Perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and the sum of branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate (Sm-PFOS) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age. Branched PFOA, linear PFOS, perfluorononanoate, perfluorodecanoate and perfluoroundecanoate were associated with differentially methylated loci and regions. Conclusion: PFASs concentrations are associated with accelerated epigenetic age and locus-specific DNA methylation. The implications for PFASs toxicity merit further investigation.",

keywords = "Environmental exposures, Epigenetic age, Epigenomics, Firefighter, Occupational exposures, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances",

author = "Goodrich, {Jaclyn M.} and Calkins, {Miriam M.} and Caban-Martinez, {Alberto J.} and Todd Stueckle and Casey Grant and Calafat, {Antonia M.} and Amy Nematollahi and Jung, {Alesia M.} and Graber, {Judith M.} and Timothy Jenkins and Slitt, {Angela L.} and Alisa Dewald and {Cook Botelho}, Julianne and Shawn Beitel and Sally Littau and John Gulotta and Darin Wallentine and Jeff Hughes and Charles Popp and Burgess, {Jefferey L.}",

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month = oct,

doi = "10.2217/epi-2021-0225",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation

T2 - A cross-sectional study of firefighters

AU - Goodrich, Jaclyn M.

AU - Calkins, Miriam M.

AU - Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.

AU - Stueckle, Todd

AU - Grant, Casey

AU - Calafat, Antonia M.

AU - Nematollahi, Amy

AU - Jung, Alesia M.

AU - Graber, Judith M.

AU - Jenkins, Timothy

AU - Slitt, Angela L.

AU - Dewald, Alisa

AU - Cook Botelho, Julianne

AU - Beitel, Shawn

AU - Littau, Sally

AU - Gulotta, John

AU - Wallentine, Darin

AU - Hughes, Jeff

AU - Popp, Charles

AU - Burgess, Jefferey L.

PY - 2021/10

Y1 - 2021/10

N2 - Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent chemicals that firefighters encounter. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could serve as PFASs toxicity biomarkers. Methods: With a sample size of 197 firefighters, we quantified the serum concentrations of nine PFASs, blood leukocyte DNA methylation and epigenetic age indicators via the EPIC array. We examined the associations between PFASs with epigenetic age, site- and region-specific DNA methylation, adjusting for confounders. Results: Perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and the sum of branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate (Sm-PFOS) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age. Branched PFOA, linear PFOS, perfluorononanoate, perfluorodecanoate and perfluoroundecanoate were associated with differentially methylated loci and regions. Conclusion: PFASs concentrations are associated with accelerated epigenetic age and locus-specific DNA methylation. The implications for PFASs toxicity merit further investigation.

AB - Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent chemicals that firefighters encounter. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could serve as PFASs toxicity biomarkers. Methods: With a sample size of 197 firefighters, we quantified the serum concentrations of nine PFASs, blood leukocyte DNA methylation and epigenetic age indicators via the EPIC array. We examined the associations between PFASs with epigenetic age, site- and region-specific DNA methylation, adjusting for confounders. Results: Perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and the sum of branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate (Sm-PFOS) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age. Branched PFOA, linear PFOS, perfluorononanoate, perfluorodecanoate and perfluoroundecanoate were associated with differentially methylated loci and regions. Conclusion: PFASs concentrations are associated with accelerated epigenetic age and locus-specific DNA methylation. The implications for PFASs toxicity merit further investigation.

KW - Environmental exposures

KW - Epigenetic age

KW - Epigenomics

KW - Firefighter

KW - Occupational exposures

KW - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

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Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters

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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Epigenetic Age, and DNA Methylation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Firefighters

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Epigenetic Age, and DNA Methylation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Firefighters

Cite this

Per- And polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: A cross-sectional study of firefighters

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Epigenetic Age, and DNA Methylation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Firefighters

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Epigenetic Age, and DNA Methylation: A Cross-Sectional Study of Firefighters

Cite this