Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in cats

Raj, Ken; Szladovits, Balázs; Haghani, Amin; Zoller, Joseph A.; Li, Caesar Z.; Horvath, Steve

doi:10.1101/2020.09.06.284877

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The array has high inter-species conservation; thus, it can be extrapolated to other breeds and other mammalian species 9 . As expected, age had a strong effect on DNAm levels in dogs and showed a similar aging biology to many previously analyzed mammalian species 14 . At p<10 -8 , the methylation level of a subset of 12,618 (40% of total) CpGs were related to age ( Figure 3a ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

“…To create a robust estimator of epigenetic age for canines, humans (and many other species), we used a DNA methylation array that profiles CpGs embedded within sequences that are conserved across mammals 9 . This array platform has been used recently to develop epigenetic clocks for cats and other mammalian species 14,32 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, that was achieved by the development of a mammalian DNA methylation array that profiles 36 thousand CpGs embedded within sequences that are conserved across mammals. This array platform has been used to develop epigenetic clocks for cats and many other mammalian species 14 Most importantly, we succeeded in developing dual species clocks (human-dog clocks) that relate relative age to cytosine methylation via a log-linear transformation. These dual-species clocks can accurately estimate chronological age of dogs and humans using the same mathematical formula, highlighting yet again the common underlying mechanisms of aging between mammals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, our prior work on dogs, wolves and humans demonstrated that age associations of syntenic CpGs were conserved between canids and humans even though the data were generated on different platforms 7 To create a robust estimator of epigenetic age for canines, humans (and many other species), we used a DNA methylation array that profiles CpGs embedded within sequences that are conserved across mammals 9 . This array platform has been used recently to develop epigenetic clocks for cats and other mammalian species 14,32 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in dogs

Horvath

Haghani

et al. 2021

Preprint

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DNA methylation profiles have been used to develop biomarkers of aging known as epigenetic clocks, which predict chronological age with remarkable accuracy and show promise for inferring health status as an indicator of biological age. Epigenetic clocks were first built to monitor human aging but the principles underpinning them appear to be evolutionarily conserved, as they have now been successfully developed for over 120 mammalian species. Here we describe reliable and highly accurate epigenetic clocks shown to apply to 51 domestic dog breeds. The methylation profiles were generated using a custom array with DNA sequences that are conserved across all mammalian species (HorvathMammalMethylChip40). Canine epigenetic clocks were constructed to estimate age and also predict mortality risk by estimating average time-to-death. We also present two highly accurate human-dog dual species epigenetic clocks (R=0.97), which may facilitate the ready translation from canine to human use (or vice versa) of anti-aging treatments being developed for longevity and preventive medicine. Finally, epigenome-wide association studies herein reveal individual methylation sites that may underlie the inverse relationship between breed weight and lifespan. Overall, we describe robust biomarkers to measure aging and potentially health status in canines.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in dogs

Horvath

Haghani

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Our analysis showed that CpGs within the TFAP2C-binding motif become increasingly methylated with age, which inhibits the binding of TFAP2C to its binding site 56 . Increasing methylation of this motif was also identified in ageing cats, cattle and bats 57–59 . Such inter-species concordance is precisely what is expected and sought after to help identify the common underlying mechanism of ageing across the mammalian class.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in elephants

Prado

Brown

Zoller

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Age-associated DNA-methylation profiles have been used successfully to develop highly accurate biomarkers of age ("epigenetic clocks") in humans, mice, dogs, and other species. Here we present epigenetic clocks for African and Asian elephants. These clocks were developed using novel DNA methylation profiles of 140 elephant blood samples of known age, at loci that are highly conserved between mammalian species, using a custom Infinium array (HorvathMammalMethylChip40). We present epigenetic clocks for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and both elephant species combined. Two additional human-elephant clocks were constructed by combing human and elephant samples. Epigenome-wide association studies identified elephant age-related CpGs and their proximal genes. The products of these genes play important roles in cellular differentiation, organismal development, metabolism, and circadian rhythms. Intracellular events observed to change with age included the methylation of bivalent chromatin domains, targets of polycomb repressive complexes, and TFAP2C binding sites. These readily available epigenetic clocks can be used for elephant conservation efforts where accurate estimates of age are needed to predict demographic trends.

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Advancing sea turtle conservation in the South China Sea via U.S.‐China diplomacy

Yeh

Lin

Zhang

et al. 2021

Env Prog and Sustain Energy

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The South China Sea is an important oceanic habitat for endangered sea turtles, which are facing anthropogenic pressures from the illegal wildlife trade, fisheries bycatch, debris pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Compounding these threats are international disputes over territorial claims in the South China Sea, exerting a general disinclination toward regional collaborations to solve environmental issues.Since sea turtles are migratory animals that move through aquatic and terrestrial habitats, feeding in waters, and nesting on beaches under the jurisdiction of multiple countries, the species is an ideal ambassador to raise public support for international collaborations. Transnational communications to coordinate conservation efforts across borders provide a positive agenda of cooperation to build trust, creating a politically neutral platform to facilitate opportunities for diplomacy to reset and improve foreign relations, underscoring the value of sea turtles as a flagship species to reduce international tensions and bring nations together. For this reason, the U.S.-China EcoPartnership between Sea Turtles 911 and Hainan Normal University was formed to empower local communities to protect the ocean through sea turtle rescue, public education, and scientific research projects. Genetic research determined the geographic origins of illegally traded sea turtles, validating the uniqueness of the Paracel (Xisha) Islands rookery, and urging policymakers to establish a largescale sea turtle nature reserve in the South China Sea. To define boundaries of the proposed marine protected area, sea turtles were tracked with satellite telemetry delineating their migratory routes and habitats across multiple countries, underscoring the importance of international collaborations. Debris pollution survey at a major turtle nesting beach in the Paracel Islands demonstrated that pollution is negatively impacting newborn turtle hatchlings and that regional cooperation in the South China Sea should promote the reduction and cleanup of marine debris. Laparoscopic surgery was performed on sea turtles for the first time in China to assess the gender ratio of the local population, which revealed a female biased ratio, indicative of the effects of climate change. A sea turtle rescue center was jointly established in which more than 100 sea turtles were successfully rescued and released by the international and local community, including students who won national awards for their volunteer service. Implementing grassroots initiatives for sea turtle conservation have

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Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in cats

Cited by 7 publications

References 51 publications

Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in dogs

Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in dogs

Epigenetic clock and methylation studies in elephants

Advancing sea turtle conservation in the South China Sea via U.S.‐China diplomacy

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