A multi-omics approach to investigate the inflammatory response to life course socioeconomic position

Abstract

Aims: Inflammation represents a potential pathway through which socioeconomic position (SEP) is biologically embedded. Materials & Methods: We analysed inflammatory biomarkers in response to life course SEP by integrating multi-omics DNA-methylation, gene expression and protein level in 178 EPIC-Italy participants. Results & Conclusions: We identified 61 potential cis acting CpG loci whose methylation levels were associated with gene expression at a Bonferroni correction. We examined the relationships between life course SEP and these 61 cis-acting regulatory methylation sites (eMS) individually and jointly using several scores. Less advantaged SEP participants exhibit, later in life, a lower inflammatory methylome score, suggesting an overall increased expression of the corresponding inflammatory genes or proteins, supporting the hypothesis that SEP impacts adult physiology through inflammation.