High plasma organochlorine pesticide levels are related to increased biological age as calculated by DNA methylation analysis

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 113; pp. 109 - 113
• Main Authors: Lind, P. Monica, Salihovic, Samira, Lind, Lars
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2018; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; alcohol drinking; Biological age; body mass index; Cross-Sectional Studies; DNA methylation; DNA Methylation - drug effects; educational status; energy; Epidemiology; exercise; Female; gas chromatography; health effects assessments; hexachlorobenzene; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - blood; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - toxicity; Male; mass spectrometry; Methylation; organochlorine pesticides; Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs); p,p′-DDE; Pesticides - blood; Pesticides - toxicity; pollution; prospective studies; p′-DDE; Transnonachlor; women; Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs); Biological age; Methylation; p,p′-DDE; Transnonachlor; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.01.019

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been shown in the experimental setting to alter DNA methylation. Since DNA methylation changes during the life-span, formulas have been presented to calculate “DNA methylation age” as a measure of biological age. We aimed to investigate if circulating levels of three OCPs were related to increased DNA methylation age 71CpG DNA methylation age (Hannum formula) was calculated based on data from the Illumina 450 k Bead Methylation chip in 1000 subjects in the Prospective Study of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study (50% women, all aged 70 years at the examination). The difference between DNA methylation age and chronological age was calculated (DiffAge). 2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethene (p,p′-DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and transnonachlor (TNC) levels were measured in plasma by high-resolution gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS). Increased p,p′-DDE and TNC, but not HCB, levels were related to increased DiffAge both in sex and BMI-adjusted models, as well as in multiple adjusted models (sex, education level, exercise habits, smoking, energy and alcohol consumption and BMI) (p = 0.0051 and p = 0.011, respectively). No significant interactions between the OCPs and sex or BMI regarding DiffAge were found. In this cross-sectional study, increased levels of two out of three OCPs were related to increased DNA methylation age, further suggesting negative health effects in humans of these widespread environmental contaminants. •It is possible to calculate the biological age by DNA methylation analysis.•The associations between three organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and DNA methylation age were investigated.•High p,p′-DDE and transnonachlor (TNC), but not hexachlorobenzene (HCB), levels were related to a high DNA methylation age.•OCPs pesticides might affect DNA methylation age.