Epigenome-Wide Association Scan Identifies Methylation Sites Associated With Hiv Infection

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the role of epigenetics in HIV pathophysiology. Materials&methods: We conducted an epigenome-wide association scan on HIV infection status among people who inject drugs in the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience study with primary (n = 397) and validation samples (n = 390). DNA methylation from blood was measured by the Illumina EPIC BeadChip. We controlled for cell type heterogeneity by HIV status. Results: HIV infection status was associated (p < 10^-8) with DNA methylation at 49 CpG sites. Sites were enriched in response to virus, interferon signaling pathway, etc. Among these sites, discovery and validation t-statistics were highly correlated (r = 0.96). Conclusion: In a cohort of people who inject drugs, HIV status was associated with differential DNA methylation at biologically meaningful sites.

Keywords::

• DNA methylation
• epigenetics
• epigenome-wide association
• HIV
• people who inject drugs

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2020-0123

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the participants and staff of the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort study.

Financial&competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by NIDA grants R01DA039408, R01DA047064, and U01DA036297 and NIAID K24-AI118591.

SH Mehta has the following disclosures: PI for research grants - funds paid to Johns Hopkins University: AbbVie, Assembly Bio, Gilead, Proteus Digital Health. Scientific advisor/Consultant: The terms of these arrangements are being managed by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies: AbbVie, Arbutus, Gilead. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NIDA grants R01DA039408, R01DA047064, and U01DA036297 and NIAID K24-AI118591. SH Mehta has the following disclosures: PI for research grants - funds paid to Johns Hopkins University: AbbVie, Assembly Bio, Gilead, Proteus Digital Health. Scientific advisor/Consultant: The terms of these arrangements are being managed by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies: AbbVie, Arbutus, Gilead. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.