Epigenome-wide DNA methylation study of IgE concentration in relation to self-reported allergies.
Epigenetic mechanisms are critical for normal immune development and epigenetic alterations might therefore be possible contributors to immune diseases. To investigate if DNA methylation in whole blood is associated with total and allergen-specific IgE levels.



We performed an epigenome-wide association study to investigate the association between DNA methylation and IgE level, allergen-specific IgE and self-reported immune diseases and allergies in 728 individuals.



We identified and replicated 15 CpG sites associated with IgE, mapping to biologically relevant genes, including ACOT7, ILR5A, KCNH2, PRG2 and EPX. A total of 331 loci were associated with allergen-specific IgE, but none of these CpG sites were associated with self-reported allergies and immune diseases.



This study shows that IgE levels are associated with DNA methylation levels at numerous CpG sites, which might provide new leads for investigating the links between IgE and allergic inflammation.
Department of Immunology, Genetics & Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815 75108 Uppsala, Sweden.
Weronica E
WE
Ek
Department of Immunology, Genetics & Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815 75108 Uppsala, Sweden.
Muhammad
M
Ahsan
Department of Immunology, Genetics & Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815 75108 Uppsala, Sweden.
Mathias
M
Rask-Andersen
Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Liming
L
Liang
National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, SW3 6LY, UK.
Miriam F
MF
Moffatt
Department of Immunology, Genetics & Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815 75108 Uppsala, Sweden.
Ulf
U
Gyllensten
Department of Immunology, Genetics & Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815 75108 Uppsala, Sweden.
Åsa
Å
Johansson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel / Q000235:genetics; D047093:Eosinophil Major Basic Protein / Q000235:genetics; D057890:Epigenomics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010170:Palmitoyl-CoA Hydrolase / Q000235:genetics; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; C000606913:KCNH2 protein, human; D011509:Proteoglycans; C074129:PRG2 protein, human; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010170:Palmitoyl-CoA Hydrolase; D047093:Eosinophil Major Basic Protein
DNA methylation; Fx5; IgE; Phadiatop; allergy; immune diseases