DNA Methylation-Based Epigenetic Age Mediates Link Between LE8 Score, CVD

WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The associations between Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and cardiovascular health are mediated by DNA methylation-based epigenetic age, according to a study published online May 29 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Madeleine Carbonneau, from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues calculated LE8 scores for 5,682 participants from the Framingham Heart Study. Four DNA methylation-based epigenetic age biomarkers were implemented and whether these biomarkers mediated the associations between the LE8 score and cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality was examined.

The researchers observed an association for a one standard deviation increase in the LE8 score with a 35, 36, and 29 percent lower risk of incident CVD, CVD-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality, respectively. Epigenetic age markers partly mediated these association, especially the GrimAge and DunedinPACE scores. Compared to those with lower genetic risk, those with higher genetic risk for older epigenetic age tended to have more profound potential mediation effects by epigenetic age biomarkers. For example, the mean proportion of mediation was 39, 39, and 78 percent for the association of the LE8 score with incident CVD, CVD-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality, respectively, in participants with higher GrimAge polygenic scores.

"Our data suggest that, in individuals with higher genetic predisposition for older epigenetic age scores, an optimal cardiovascular health may be beneficial by decreasing their epigenetic burden," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text