DNA methylation and exposure to ambient air pollution: The EPIGENAIR Project

The “Epigenomic markers for AIR pollution-induced health effects" (EPIGENAIR project), is part of the Exposomics project. The aim of EPIGENAIR is to unravel DNA methylation patterns associated with exposure to air pollution.  Two studies nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study are combined with air pollution estimates for particulate matter and nitrogen oxides based on exposure models developed within the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Methylation profiles were acquired from prospective blood samples using the Illumina 450K Methylation assay. Via epigenome wide associations studies we have identified several differentially methylated CpG loci associated with air pollution, spread throughout the genome. Depending on the exposure and among others these CpG’s were located in inflammatory, cardiovascular or tumor suppressor genes. Click here for video link.