Epigenetic age-predictor for mice based on three CpG sites
Yang Han,
Monika Eipel,
Julia Franzen,
Vadim Sakk,
Bertien Dethmers-Ausema,
Laura Yndriago,
Ander Izeta,
Gerald de Haan,
Hartmut Geiger,
Wolfgang Wagner
Affiliations
Yang Han
Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering – Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Monika Eipel
Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering – Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Julia Franzen
Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering – Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Vadim Sakk
Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
Bertien Dethmers-Ausema
Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Laura Yndriago
Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain
Ander Izeta
Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Instituto Biodonostia, San Sebastian, Spain; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tecnun-University of Navarra, San Sebastian, Spain
Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Burnet Campus, Cincinnati, United States
Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Biomedical Engineering – Cell Biology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Epigenetic clocks for mice were generated based on deep-sequencing analysis of the methylome. Here, we demonstrate that site-specific analysis of DNA methylation levels by pyrosequencing at only three CG dinucleotides (CpGs) in the genes Prima1, Hsf4, and Kcns1 facilitates precise estimation of chronological age in murine blood samples, too. DBA/2 mice revealed accelerated epigenetic aging as compared to C57BL6 mice, which is in line with their shorter life-expectancy. The three-CpG-predictor provides a simple and cost-effective biomarker to determine biological age in large intervention studies with mice.