Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (Apr 2024)
567 Multigenerational impacts on DNA methylation signatures in autism spectrum disorder
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: to investigate the potential impact of grandparental factors and multigenerational epigenetic inheritance on the development of ASD METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Our study recruited participants from the CHARGE (Child Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment) study, including grandparents, parents, and children. A questionnaire was used to gather information about the participants’ exposure to environmental factors. Saliva samples werecollected from 349 participants. Newborn dried blood spotsfrom probands and parents are still being collected from the California New born Registry. DNA was extracted from 349 saliva samples from 85 families and subjected to whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) to analyze DNA methylation. Sequence alignments and bioinformatic analyses will be performed using R packages called DMRichR and Comethyl. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Sequence alignments and bioinformatic analyses are ongoing, utilizing DMRichR to identify individual genomic loci associated with ASD in each of the three generations and Comethyl to compare correlation patterns between methylation marks and selected variables, including grand parental exposures. New born blood spot collections of parents and probands are ongoing and will be used to identify potential ASD epigenomic signatures that are tissue and life-stage independent. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This research will provide new insights into the increased prevalence and underlying etiology of ASD that should pave the way for future research in the field. DNA Methylation signatures can help create molecular biomarkers which can be used together with behavioral clinical tests for diagnosis of ASD.