Impact of ex-vivo sample handling on DNA methylation profiles in human cord blood and neonatal dried blood spots

Typical conditions prior to sample storage associated with cord blood samples obtained from clinical investigations were examined using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Overall design: Whole cord blood to whole cord blood comparison at 0hr, 4hr, and 24hr after collection (n=3 matched samples per time point, total n of 9). Whole cord blood to dried blood spot comparison at 0hr for whole blood and 4hr after collection (n=3 matched samples per time point, total n of 6). Dried blood spot to dried blood spot comparison at 4hr, 24hr and 7days after collection (=3 matched samples per time point, total n of 9).