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Age Estimation Based on DNA Methylation Using Blood Samples From Deceased Individuals
Author(s) -
Correia Dias Helena,
Cordeiro Cristina,
Corte Real Francisco,
Cunha Eugénia,
Manco Licínio
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.14185
Subject(s) - dna methylation , methylation , polymerase chain reaction , bisulfite , genetics , cpg site , biology , forensic science , locus (genetics) , gene , gene expression
Age estimation using DNA methylation levels has been widely investigated in recent years because of its potential application in forensic genetics. The main aim of this study was to develop an age predictor model ( APM ) for blood samples of deceased individuals based in five age‐correlated genes. Fifty‐one samples were analyzed through the bisulfite polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) sequencing method for DNA methylation evaluation in genes ELOVL 2, FHL 2, EDARADD , PDE 4C, and C1orf132 . Linear regression was used to analyze relationships between methylation levels and age. The model using the highest age‐correlated CpG from each locus revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.888, explaining 76.3% of age variation, with a mean absolute deviation from the chronological age ( MAD ) of 6.08 years. The model was validated in an independent test set of 19 samples producing a MAD of 8.84 years. The developed APM seems to be informative and could have potential application in forensic analysis.