Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA
Abstract Background Blood-based DNA methylation has shown great promise as a biomarker in a wide variety of diseases. Studies of DNA methylation in blood often utilize samples which have been cryopreserved for years or even decades. Therefore, changes in DNA methylation associated with long-term cry...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Clinical Epigenetics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-023-01565-y |
| _version_ | 1797452205528186880 |
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| author | Ning Yuan Lee Melissa Hum Guek Peng Tan Ai Choo Seah Patricia T. Kin Ngiap Chuan Tan Hai-Yang Law Ann S. G. Lee |
| author_facet | Ning Yuan Lee Melissa Hum Guek Peng Tan Ai Choo Seah Patricia T. Kin Ngiap Chuan Tan Hai-Yang Law Ann S. G. Lee |
| author_sort | Ning Yuan Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Blood-based DNA methylation has shown great promise as a biomarker in a wide variety of diseases. Studies of DNA methylation in blood often utilize samples which have been cryopreserved for years or even decades. Therefore, changes in DNA methylation associated with long-term cryopreservation can introduce biases or otherwise mislead methylation analyses of cryopreserved DNA. However, previous studies have presented conflicting results with studies reporting hypomethylation, no effect, or even hypermethylation of DNA following long-term cryopreservation. These studies may have been limited by insufficient sample sizes, or by their profiling of methylation only on an aggregate global scale, or profiling of only a few CpGs. Results We analyzed two large prospective cohorts: a discovery (n = 126) and a validation (n = 136) cohort, where DNA was cryopreserved for up to four years. In both cohorts there was no detectable change in mean global methylation across increasing storage durations as DNA. However, when analysis was performed on the level of individual CpG methylation both cohorts exhibited a greater number of hypomethylated than hypermethylated CpGs at q-value < 0.05 (4049 hypomethylated but only 50 hypermethylated CpGs in discovery, and 63 hypomethylated but only 6 hypermethylated CpGs in validation). The results were the same even after controlling for age, storage duration as buffy coat prior to DNA extraction, and estimated cell type composition. Furthermore, we find that in both cohorts, CpGs have a greater likelihood to be hypomethylated the closer they are to a CpG island; except for CpGs at the CpG islands themselves which are less likely to be hypomethylated. Conclusion Cryopreservation of DNA after a few years results in a detectable bias toward hypomethylation at the level of individual CpG methylation, though when analyzed in aggregate there is no detectable change in mean global methylation. Studies profiling methylation in cryopreserved DNA should be mindful of this hypomethylation bias, and more attention should be directed at developing more stable methods of DNA cryopreservation for biomedical research or clinical use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:05:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9954d81753d423bb5f23e820cd2fa2d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1868-7083 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:05:25Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Epigenetics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9954d81753d423bb5f23e820cd2fa2d2023-11-26T13:41:29ZengBMCClinical Epigenetics1868-70832023-09-0115111010.1186/s13148-023-01565-yDegradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNANing Yuan Lee0Melissa Hum1Guek Peng Tan2Ai Choo Seah3Patricia T. Kin4Ngiap Chuan Tan5Hai-Yang Law6Ann S. G. Lee7Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre SingaporeDivision of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre SingaporeDNA Diagnostic and Research Laboratory, KK Women’s and Children’s HospitalSingHealth PolyclinicsSingHealth PolyclinicsSingHealth PolyclinicsDNA Diagnostic and Research Laboratory, KK Women’s and Children’s HospitalDivision of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre SingaporeAbstract Background Blood-based DNA methylation has shown great promise as a biomarker in a wide variety of diseases. Studies of DNA methylation in blood often utilize samples which have been cryopreserved for years or even decades. Therefore, changes in DNA methylation associated with long-term cryopreservation can introduce biases or otherwise mislead methylation analyses of cryopreserved DNA. However, previous studies have presented conflicting results with studies reporting hypomethylation, no effect, or even hypermethylation of DNA following long-term cryopreservation. These studies may have been limited by insufficient sample sizes, or by their profiling of methylation only on an aggregate global scale, or profiling of only a few CpGs. Results We analyzed two large prospective cohorts: a discovery (n = 126) and a validation (n = 136) cohort, where DNA was cryopreserved for up to four years. In both cohorts there was no detectable change in mean global methylation across increasing storage durations as DNA. However, when analysis was performed on the level of individual CpG methylation both cohorts exhibited a greater number of hypomethylated than hypermethylated CpGs at q-value < 0.05 (4049 hypomethylated but only 50 hypermethylated CpGs in discovery, and 63 hypomethylated but only 6 hypermethylated CpGs in validation). The results were the same even after controlling for age, storage duration as buffy coat prior to DNA extraction, and estimated cell type composition. Furthermore, we find that in both cohorts, CpGs have a greater likelihood to be hypomethylated the closer they are to a CpG island; except for CpGs at the CpG islands themselves which are less likely to be hypomethylated. Conclusion Cryopreservation of DNA after a few years results in a detectable bias toward hypomethylation at the level of individual CpG methylation, though when analyzed in aggregate there is no detectable change in mean global methylation. Studies profiling methylation in cryopreserved DNA should be mindful of this hypomethylation bias, and more attention should be directed at developing more stable methods of DNA cryopreservation for biomedical research or clinical use.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-023-01565-yMethylationBloodCryopreservationStorageBuffy coatDNA |
| spellingShingle | Ning Yuan Lee Melissa Hum Guek Peng Tan Ai Choo Seah Patricia T. Kin Ngiap Chuan Tan Hai-Yang Law Ann S. G. Lee Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA Clinical Epigenetics Methylation Blood Cryopreservation Storage Buffy coat DNA |
| title | Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA |
| title_full | Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA |
| title_fullStr | Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA |
| title_short | Degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved DNA |
| title_sort | degradation of methylation signals in cryopreserved dna |
| topic | Methylation Blood Cryopreservation Storage Buffy coat DNA |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-023-01565-y |
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