DNA Methylation Signature of Childhood Chronic Physical Aggression in T Cells of Both Men and Women (Agilent). Homo sapiens

High frequency of physical aggression is the central feature of severe conduct disorder and is associated with a wide range of social, mental and physical health problems. We have previously tested the hypothesis that differential DNA methylation signatures in peripheral T cells are associated with a chronic aggression trajectory in males. Despite the fact that sex differences appear to play a pivotal role in determining the development, magnitude and frequency of aggression, most of previous studies focused on males, so little is known about female chronic physical aggression. We therefore tested here whether or not there is a signature of physical aggression in female DNA methylation and, if there is, how it relates to the signature observed in males. Overall design: Genome-wide promoter methylation profiles of T cell DNA from adult females on a Chronic Physical Aggression (CPA, n=5) trajectory during childhood and adolescence were compared to those on normative physical aggression trajectories (NPA, n=14). Two technical replicates were generated for each individual.