Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | 3050 - Methodological limits of epigenetic studies in neurodevelopmental disorders |
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| Contribution code | PS01-04 (P) |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Introduction Epigenetic studies in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders are considerably useful in understanding their complex etiopathogenesis. However, many methodological biases limit the extent of their results and render difficult their interpretation. Objective To highlight methodological limits of epigenetic studies in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders, and proposed alternatives for these biases. Methods A review of literature, researching recent articles published on Medline. Key words used were: epigentics, DNA methylation, autism, genome-wide. Results The epigenome, much like the genome, is not identical in all cells of the body. It varies specifically according to each tissue and is dynamic over the course of a lifetime. Cellular samples used in psychiatric studies originate mostly from post-mortem central nervous system tissue. The interpretation of findings derived from such samples could be flawed due to numerous factors: the length of time that the tissue was conserved, age, sex, previous treatments, all of which are capable of modifying the epigenome. As for using peripheral cells like blood cells or mouth epithelial cells, the problem of correlation between the epigenome of these cells and that of nerve cells arises. Some studies do show, though, that the DNA methylome of blood cells is similar to that of brain cells. Blood samples also contain different cell types that vary in proportion from one individual to another. Therefore, differences found in DNA methylation could be due to the samples’ cell heterogeneity. Furthermore, an inter-individual variability is noted in the arrangement of CpG dinucléotides inside the DNA sequence. This finding is to be taken into consideration when interpreting differences in methylation profiles. Conclusion The National Institutes of Health has come up with guidelines on how to conduct research in epigenetics. This will limit the shortcomings of these studies and lead to a better understanding of the role played by epigenetics in neurodevelopmental disorders. |