title: High type I error and misrepresentations in search for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: response to Guerrero-Bosagna.
abstract: In a recent paper, we described our efforts in search for evidence supporting epigenetic transgenerational inheritance caused by endocrine disrupter chemicals. One aspect of our study was to compare genome-wide DNA methylation changes in the vinclozolin-exposed fetal male germ cells (n = 3) to control samples (n = 3), their counterparts in the next, unexposed, generation (n = 3 + 3) and also in adult spermatozoa (n = 2 + 2) in both generations. We reported finding zero common hits in the intersection of these four comparisons. In our interpretation, this result did not support the notion that DNA methylation provides a mechanism for a vinclozolin-induced transgenerational male infertility phenotype. In response to criticism by Guerrero-Bosagna regarding our statistical power in the above study, here we provide power calculations to clarify the statistical power of our study and to show the validity of our conclusions. We also explain here how our data is misinterpreted in the commentary by Guerrero-Bosagna by leaving out important data points from consideration.Please see related Correspondence article: xxx (13059_2016_982) and related Research article: http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0619-z.
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Khursheed
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Diana A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur X
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Warden
authors.affiliation: Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Angela Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Purnima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
authors.forename: Zach B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Madaj
authors.affiliation: Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.affiliation: Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Xiwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
authors.forename: Gerd P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.affiliation: Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA. piroska.szabo@vai.org.
authors.forename: Piroska E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Szabó
mesh_terms: D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D000066473:Embryonic Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010080:Oxazoles; C025643:vinclozolin