Rxivist combines preprints from bioRxiv with data from Twitter to help you find the papers being discussed in your field. Currently indexing 73,741 bioRxiv papers from 320,833 authors.

DNA methylation age is an accurate biomarker of chronological age and predicts lifespan, but its underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. In this genome-wide association study of 9,907 individuals, we found gene variants mapping to five loci associated with intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA) and gene variants in 3 loci associated extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA). Mendelian randomization analysis suggested causal influences of menarche and menopause on IEAA and lipid levels on IEAA and EEAA. Variants associated with longer leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (TERT) locus at 5p15.33 confer higher IEAA (P<2.7x10-11). Causal modelling indicates TERT-specific and independent effects on LTL and IEAA. Experimental hTERT expression in primary human fibroblasts engenders a linear increase in DNA methylation age with cell population doubling number. Together, these findings indicate a critical role for hTERT in regulating the DNA methylation clock, in addition to its established role of compensating for cell replication-dependent telomere shortening.

Download data

• Downloaded 736 times
• Download rankings, all-time:
  • Site-wide: 14,061 out of 73,766
  • In genetics: 956 out of 4,041
• Year to date:
  • Site-wide: 45,228 out of 73,766
• Since beginning of last month:
  • Site-wide: 45,228 out of 73,766

Altmetric data

Downloads over time

Distribution of downloads per paper, site-wide