Analysis of the machinery and intermediates of the 5hmC-mediated DNA demethylation pathway in aging on samples from the MARK-AGE Study.

Gradual changes in the DNA methylation landscape occur throughout aging virtually in all human tissues. A widespread reduction of 5-methylcytosine (5mC), associated with highly reproducible site-specific hypermethylation, characterizes the genome in aging. Therefore, an equilibrium seems to exist between general and directional deregulating events concerning DNA methylation controllers, which may underpin the age-related epigenetic changes. In this context, 5mC-hydroxylases (TET enzymes) are new potential players.

Valentini E, Zampieri M, Malavolta M, Bacalini MG, Calabrese R, Guastafierro T, Reale A, Franceschi C, Hervonen A, Koller B, Bernhardt J, Slagboom PE, Toussaint O, Sikora E, Gonos ES, Breusing N, Grune T, Jansen E, Dollé ME, Moreno-Villanueva M, Sindlinger T, Bürkle A, Ciccarone F, Caiafa P.

Aging (Albany NY). 2016 Aug 29;8(9):1896-1922. doi: 10.18632/aging.101022