title: The methylation of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in ageing phenotypes and longevity.
abstract: An increasing body of data is progressively indicating that the comprehension of the epigenetic landscape, actively integrated with the genetic elements, is crucial to delineate the molecular basis of the inter-individual complexity of ageing process. Indeed, it has emerged that DNA methylation changes occur during ageing, consisting mainly in a progressive process of genome demethylation, in a hypermethylation of gene-specific CpG dinucleotides, as well as in an inter-individual divergence of the epigenome due to stochastic events and environmental exposures throughout life, namely as epigenetic drift. Additionally, it has also come to light an implication of the mitochondrial genome in the regulation of the intracellular epigenetic landscape, as demonstrated by the being itself object of epigenetic modifications. An overview of DNA methylation changes occurring during ageing process at both nuclear and mitochondrial level will be described in this review, also taking into account the recent and promising data available on the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bacalini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Aquila
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marasco
authors.affiliation: Personal Genomics S.r.l., 37134 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nardini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montesanto
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franceschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Passarino
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy; Applied Biomedical Research Center, S.Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic, 40138 Bologna, Italy; Interdepartmental Center "L. Galvani", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.garagnani2@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garagnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy. Electronic address: dina.bellizzi@unical.it.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellizzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000502:physiology*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000502:physiology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Ageing; Ageing phenotypes; Centenarians; Epigenetic clock; Epigenetic drift; Longevity; Mitochondrial DNA methylation; Nuclear DNA methylation