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Perez-Correa JF, Tharmapalan V, Geiger H, Wagner W. Epigenetic Clocks for Mice Based on Age-Associated Regions That are Conserved Between Mouse Strains and Human. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:902857. [PMID: 35721486 PMCID: PMC9204067 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.902857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging of mice can be tracked by DNA methylation changes at specific sites in the genome. In this study, we used the recently released Infinium Mouse Methylation BeadChip to compare such epigenetic modifications in C57BL/6 (B6) and DBA/2J (DBA) mice. We observed marked differences in age-associated DNA methylation in these commonly used inbred mouse strains, indicating that epigenetic clocks for one strain cannot be simply applied to other strains without further verification. In B6 mice age-associated hypomethylation prevailed with focused hypermethylation at CpG islands, whereas in DBA mice CpG islands revealed rather hypomethylation upon aging. Interestingly, the CpGs with highest age-correlation were still overlapping in B6 and DBA mice and included the genes Hsf4, Prima1, Aspa, and Wnt3a. Notably, Hsf4 and Prima1 were also top candidates in previous studies based on whole genome deep sequencing approaches. Furthermore, Hsf4, Aspa, and Wnt3a revealed highly significant age-associated DNA methylation in the homologous regions in human. Subsequently, we used pyrosequencing of the four relevant regions to establish a targeted epigenetic clock that provided very high correlation with chronological age in independent cohorts of B6 (R2 = 0.98) and DBA (R2 = 0.91). Taken together, the methylome differs extensively between B6 and DBA mice, while prominent age-associated changes are conserved among these strains and even in humans. Our new targeted epigenetic clock with 4 CpGs provides a versatile tool for other researchers analyzing aging in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Felipe Perez-Correa
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vithurithra Tharmapalan
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Wagner,
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Han Y, Nikolić M, Gobs M, Franzen J, de Haan G, Geiger H, Wagner W. Targeted methods for epigenetic age predictions in mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22439. [PMID: 33384442 PMCID: PMC7775437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-associated DNA methylation reflects aspect of biological aging—therefore epigenetic clocks for mice can elucidate how the aging process in this model organism is affected by specific treatments or genetic background. Initially, age-predictors for mice were trained for genome-wide DNA methylation profiles and we have recently described a targeted assay based on pyrosequencing of DNA methylation at only three age-associated genomic regions. Here, we established alternative approaches using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and barcoded bisulfite amplicon sequencing (BBA-seq). At individual CG dinucleotides (CpGs) the correlation of DNA methylation with chronological age was slightly higher for pyrosequencing and ddPCR as compared to BBA-seq. On the other hand, BBA-seq revealed that neighboring CpGs tend to be stochastically modified at murine age-associated regions. Furthermore, the binary sequel of methylated and non-methylated CpGs in individual reads can be used for single-read predictions, which may reflect heterogeneity in epigenetic aging. In comparison to C57BL/6 mice the single-read age-predictions using BBA-seq were also accelerated in the shorter-lived DBA/2 mice, and in C57BL/6 mice with a lifespan quantitative trait locus of DBA/2 mice. Taken together, we describe alternative targeted methods for epigenetic age predictions that provide new perspectives for aging-intervention studies in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Miloš Nikolić
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Michael Gobs
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Julia Franzen
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gerald de Haan
- Laboratory of Ageing Biology and Stem Cells, European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074, Aachen, Germany. .,Institute for Biomedical Engineering - Cell Biology, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
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Florian MC, Leins H, Gobs M, Han Y, Marka G, Soller K, Vollmer A, Sakk V, Nattamai KJ, Rayes A, Zhao X, Setchell K, Mulaw M, Wagner W, Zheng Y, Geiger H. Inhibition of Cdc42 activity extends lifespan and decreases circulating inflammatory cytokines in aged female C57BL/6 mice. Aging Cell 2020; 19:e13208. [PMID: 32755011 PMCID: PMC7511875 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cdc42 is a small RhoGTPase regulating multiple functions in eukaryotic cells. The activity of Cdc42 is significantly elevated in several tissues of aged mice, while the Cdc42 gain‐of‐activity mouse model presents with a premature aging‐like phenotype and with decreased lifespan. These data suggest a causal connection between elevated activity of Cdc42, aging, and reduced lifespan. Here, we demonstrate that systemic treatment of aged (75‐week‐old) female C57BL/6 mice with a Cdc42 activity‐specific inhibitor (CASIN) for 4 consecutive days significantly extends average and maximum lifespan. Moreover, aged CASIN‐treated animals displayed a youthful level of the aging‐associated cytokines IL‐1β, IL‐1α, and INFγ in serum and a significantly younger epigenetic clock as based on DNA methylation levels in blood cells. Overall, our data show that systemic administration of CASIN to reduce Cdc42 activity in aged mice extends murine lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carolina Florian
- Program of Regenerative Medicine, IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hanna Leins
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Gobs
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yang Han
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Gina Marka
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Karin Soller
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Angelika Vollmer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vadim Sakk
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kalpana J Nattamai
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Ahmad Rayes
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Xueheng Zhao
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kenneth Setchell
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Medhanie Mulaw
- Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Medical Faculty, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wagner
- Helmholtz-Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Stem Cell Biology and Cellular Engineering, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yi Zheng
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Aging, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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DeGregori J. Of mice, genes and aging. Haematologica 2020; 105:246-248. [PMID: 32005650 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2019.238683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James DeGregori
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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