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ABSTRACT: Background
Methylation of repetitive elements Alu and LINE-1 in humans is considered a surrogate for global DNA methylation. Previous studies of blood-measured Alu/LINE-1 and cancer risk are inconsistent.Methods
We studied 1259 prospective methylation measurements from blood drawn 1-4 times from 583 participants from 1999 to 2012. We used Cox regression to evaluate time-dependent methylation as a biomarker for cancer risk and mortality, and linear regression to compare mean differences in methylation over time by cancer status and analyse associations between rate of methylation change and cancer.Results
Time-dependent LINE-1 methylation was associated with prostate cancer incidence (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.01-1.88) and all-cancer mortality (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.03-1.92). The first measurement of Alu methylation (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.79) was associated with all-cancer mortality. Participants who ultimately developed cancer had lower mean LINE-1 methylation than cancer-free participants 10+ years pre-diagnosis (P<0.01). Rate of Alu methylation change was associated with all-cancer incidence (HR: 3.62, 95% CI: 1.09-12.10).Conclusions
Our results add longitudinal data on blood Alu and LINE-1 methylation and cancer, and potentially contribute to their use as early-detection biomarkers. Future larger studies are needed and should account for the interval between blood sample collection and cancer diagnosis.
SUBMITTER: Joyce BT
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4985350 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Joyce Brian T BT Gao Tao T Zheng Yinan Y Liu Lei L Zhang Wei W Dai Qi Q Shrubsole Martha J MJ Hibler Elizabeth A EA Cristofanilli Massimo M Zhang Hu H Yang Hushan H Vokonas Pantel P Cantone Laura L Schwartz Joel J Baccarelli Andrea A Hou Lifang L
British journal of cancer 20160628 4
<h4>Background</h4>Methylation of repetitive elements Alu and LINE-1 in humans is considered a surrogate for global DNA methylation. Previous studies of blood-measured Alu/LINE-1 and cancer risk are inconsistent.<h4>Methods</h4>We studied 1259 prospective methylation measurements from blood drawn 1-4 times from 583 participants from 1999 to 2012. We used Cox regression to evaluate time-dependent methylation as a biomarker for cancer risk and mortality, and linear regression to compare mean diffe ...[more]