Accumulation of epigenetic noise in the corneal epithelium during aging

The cornea, being the window of the eye, plays an important role in vision. Aging has a profound impact on corneal function by reducing its ability to protect the eye, refract light, and repair itself. The function of any tissue is determined by the expression of genes whose activity is established by epigenetic mechanisms. Deviations from optimal activity of these epigenetic mechanisms during aging lead to the accumulation of epigenetic noise, which has a great impact on the ability of the tissue to perform its function. In this study, we investigated how age affects DNA methylation patterns and the activity of DNMT and TET protein families that shape these patterns in the corneal epithelium.