NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase, but their role in aging and other diseases is not well understood. Our group previously showed the potential benefit of NSAIDs in decreasing the risk of delirium and mortality. Concurrently, epigenetics signals have also been associated with delirium. Therefore, we sought to find differentially methylated genes and biological pathways related to exposure with NSAIDs by comparing the genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of patients with and without a history of NSAIDs use.
Whole blood samples were collected from 171 patients at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics from November 2017 to March 2020. History of NSAIDs use was assessed through a word-search function in the subjects' electronic medical records. DNA was extracted from the blood samples, processed with bisulfite conversion, and analyzed using Illumina's EPIC array. The analysis of top differentially methylated CpG sites and subsequent enrichment analysis were conducted using an established pipeline using R statistical software.
Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) showed several biological pathways relevant to NSAIDs' function. The identified GO terms included "arachidonic acid metabolic process," while KEGG results included "linoleic acid metabolism," "cellular senescence," and "circadian rhythm." Nonetheless, none of the top GO and KEGG pathways and the top differentially methylated CpG sites reached statistical significance.
Our results suggest a potential role of epigenetics in the mechanisms of the action of NSAIDs. However, the results should be viewed with caution as exploratory and hypothesis-generating given the lack of statistically significant findings.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
14%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1
14%
Medicine and Dentistry
1
14%
Unknown
4
57%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 22 June 2023.
All research outputs
#21,954,040
of 27,791,073 outputs
Outputs from Clinical and Experimental Medicine
#428
of 665 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#275,897
of 393,275 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Clinical and Experimental Medicine
#23
of 31 outputs
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So far Altmetric has tracked 665 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.8. This one is in the 33rd percentile – i.e., 33% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 31 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 22nd percentile – i.e., 22% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
