The Role of DNA Methylation in Seven Genes Newly Implicated in Necrotizing Enterocolitis, and Considerations for qPCR-Based Telomere Length Measurements

Abstract

Primarily affecting preterm neonates, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an inflammatory gastrointestinal disease marked by bacterial infection and necrosis. The pathophysiology of NEC is not fully understood, as dysbiosis, immune system overactivity, reduced proliferation, and diminished mucosal restoration each contribute to disease progression, seemingly with no single component taking precedence. However, the underlying role of epigenetics in each of these elements posits DNA methylation data as a valuable tool in deciphering the interplay between these factors. Methylation, which alters protein expression, may be able to explain the varying progression patterns seen in NEC. The DNA methylation profiles of 48 preterm infants diagnosed with NEC were generated from intestinal tissue samples collected during surgical treatment. These profiles, alongside phenotypic data regarding disease progression and survival outcome, identified numerous epigenetic changes correlated with increased necrosis and a decreased chance of survival.