title: Epigenetic signatures of internal migration in Italy.
abstract: Observational studies have suggested that the risks of non-communicable diseases in voluntary migrants become similar to those in the host population after one or more generations, supporting the hypothesis that these diseases have a predominantly environmental (rather than inherited) origin. However, no study has been conducted thus far to identify alterations at the molecular level that might mediate these changes in disease risk after migration.
  
  
  
  Using genome-wide DNA methylation profiles from more than 1000 Italian participants, we conducted an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) to identify differences between south-to-north migrants and their origin (southern natives) and host (north-western natives) populations.
  
  
  
  We identified several differentially methylated CpG loci, in particular when comparing south-to-north migrants with north-western natives. We hypothesise that these alterations may underlie an adaptive response to exposure differentials that exist between origin and host populations.
  
  
  
  Our study is the first large agnostic investigation of DNA methylation changes linked to migratory processes, and shows the potential of EWAS to investigate their biological effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polidoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Gaetano
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiorito
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guarrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palli
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panico
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sacerdote
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tumino
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matullo
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chadeau-Hyam
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK,Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), Turin, Italy, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, Istituto per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica (ISPO Toscana), Florence, Italy, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, Piedmont Reference Centre for Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention (CPO Piemonte), Turin, Italy Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera 'Civile - M. P. Arezzo', Ragusa, Italy and MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK p.vineis@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vineis
keywords: DNA methylation; Migration; developmental origins of disease