Epigenetics in persons living with HIV: trauma, coping, and FKBP5 and SLC6A4 methylation.

IF 3 4区医学 Q2 GENETICS & HEREDITY

Epigenomics Pub Date : 2025-04-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-11 DOI:10.1080/17501911.2025.2476389

Cassidy J Tomlinson, Laura Ryniker, Haley M Cook, Rebecca M Schwartz, Amy L Non

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Aim: People living with HIV (PLWH) have an increased risk for lifetime trauma and mental health difficulties. However, no studies have evaluated stress-related genes in relation to early-life adversity, lifetime trauma, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in PLWH.

Methods: Using bisulfite pyrosequencing, we evaluated DNA methylation (DNAm) in intron 7 of FKBP5, a glucocorticoid feedback regulator, and in the promoter of SLC6A4, the serotonin transporter gene, in whole blood of a random sample of 70 PLWH recruited from an HIV program, and 51 individuals 2 years later (n = 48 at both time points). Exploratory regression analyses were conducted with DNAm in relation to trauma exposure, mental health symptoms, and coping strategies.

Results: Higher DNAm at one site of SLC6A4 was associated with lower levels of anxiety (B = -0.62 (SE = 0.23), p = 0.0109), depression (B = -0.06 (SE = 0.03), p = 0.0435), and PTSD symptoms at baseline (B = -0.03 (SE = 0.01), p = 0.0374). DNAm at FKBP5 was negatively associated with measures of anxiety (B = -0.30 (SE = 0.07), p = 0.0001) and depression symptoms (B = -0.2 (SE = 0.10), p = 0.0103). Various coping strategies were also associated with sites in both genes across time points, e.g. self-blame and substance use.

Conclusion: Our findings generate intriguing hypotheses linking mental health symptoms and DNA methylation, to be replicated with larger samples.

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来源期刊

Epigenomics GENETICS & HEREDITY-

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

2.60%

发文量

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Epigenomics provides the forum to address the rapidly progressing research developments in this ever-expanding field; to report on the major challenges ahead and critical advances that are propelling the science forward. The journal delivers this information in concise, at-a-glance article formats – invaluable to a time constrained community. Substantial developments in our current knowledge and understanding of genomics and epigenetics are constantly being made, yet this field is still in its infancy. Epigenomics provides a critical overview of the latest and most significant advances as they unfold and explores their potential application in the clinical setting.