New Targeted Approaches for Epigenetic Age Predictions

In this study, we have optimized and directly compared epigenetic age predictors based on pyrosequencing, ddPCR and BBA-seq of specific age-associated regions. Bisulfite barcoded amplicon sequencing (BBA-seq) was performed on 9 genomic region of 77 human blood DNA and 11 genomic regions of 95 buccal swab DNA to measure age-associated regions for epigenetic age prediction. Furthermore, our data indicate that the correlation of age-associated DNAm with chronological age peaks close to CTCF binding sites. Age-associated DNAm is not coherently modified on individual DNA strands and this enabled alternative single-read age-predictors that reflect heterogeneity in epigenetic aging within a specimen. DNA methylation profiles of bisulfite converted 77 human blood and 95 human buccal swab specimens