Accelerated epigenetic aging in Down syndrome

2015/02/09 by Steve Horvath, Paolo Garagnani, Maria Giulia Bacalini +8 · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Epigenetics and DNA Methylation #Down syndrome and intellectual disability research #Frailty in Older Adults

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/acel.12325

openalex publication_date 2015/02/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Down Syndrome (DS) entails an increased risk of many chronic diseases that are typically associated with older age. The clinical manifestations of accelerated aging suggest that trisomy 21 increases the biological age of tissues, but molecular evidence for this hypothesis has been sparse. Here, we utilize a quantitative molecular marker of aging (known as the epigenetic clock) to demonstrate that trisomy 21 significantly increases the age of blood and brain tissue (on average by 6.6 years, P = 7.0 × 10(-14)).

Citations

• Down syndrome as a model of DNA polymerase beta haploinsufficiency and accelerated aging

Cited by

• Epigenetic clock for skin and blood cells applied to Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome and ex vivo studies
• Down syndrome [wikipedia]

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