In vitro relationships of galactic cosmic radiation and epigenetic clocks in human bronchial epithelial cells

Ionizing radiation is a well‐appreciated health risk, precipitant of DNA damage, and contributor to DNA methylation variability. Nevertheless, relationships of ionizing radiation with DNA methylation‐based markers of biological age (i.e. epigenetic clocks) remain poorly understood. Using existing da...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental and molecular mutagenesis 2022-04, Vol.63 (4), p.184-189
Main Authors: Nwanaji‐Enwerem, Jamaji C., Boileau, Philippe, Galazka, Jonathan M., Cardenas, Andres
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biomarkers
Cell culture
Clocks
Cosmic radiation
Cosmic rays
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA damage
DNA methylation
Energy transfer
epigenetic age
Epigenetics
Epithelial cells
Epithelium
Health risks
Hypothesis testing
Ion association
Ionizing radiation
Iron isotopes
Linear energy transfer (LET)
mitotic clock
Radiation
Radiation damage
Statistical analysis
X‐ray
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Summary:Ionizing radiation is a well‐appreciated health risk, precipitant of DNA damage, and contributor to DNA methylation variability. Nevertheless, relationships of ionizing radiation with DNA methylation‐based markers of biological age (i.e. epigenetic clocks) remain poorly understood. Using existing data from human bronchial epithelial cells, we examined in vitro relationships of three epigenetic clock measures (Horvath DNAmAge, MiAge, and epiTOC2) with galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), which is particularly hazardous due to its high linear energy transfer (LET) heavy‐ion components. High‐LET 56Fe was significantly associated with accelerations in epiTOC2 (β = 192 cell divisions, 95% CI: 71, 313, p‐value = .003). We also observed a significant, positive interaction of 56Fe ions and time‐in‐culture with epiTOC2 (95% CI: 42, 441, p‐value = .019). However, only the direct 56Fe ion association remained statistically significant after adjusting for multiple hypothesis testing. Epigenetic clocks were not significantly associated with high‐LET 28Si and low‐LET X‐rays. Our results demonstrate sensitivities of specific epigenetic clock measures to certain forms of GCR. These findings suggest that epigenetic clocks may have some utility for monitoring and better understanding the health impacts of GCR.
ISSN:0893-6692
1098-2280
DOI:10.1002/em.22483