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Associations of rDNA copy numbers and global DNA methylation with myocardial infarction

Wang, Xiao LU ; Memon, Ashfaque A LU orcid ; Hedelius, Anna LU ; Grundberg, Anton LU and Sundquist, Kristina LU (2026) In Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 13. p.1-8
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Alterations in ribosomal DNA copy number (rDNA-CN) and global DNA methylation have been associated with genomic instability and various diseases. However, their relevance in myocardial infarction (MI) has not been fully investigated.

METHODS: We measured rDNA-CN and global DNA methylation in blood samples from MI patients ( n  = 100) and healthy controls ( n  = 109) using Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) and ELISA, respectively. Logistic regression was used to assess associations with MI, before and after adjustment for age and sex. Correlations of rDNA CN and global DNA methylation with age were also evaluated. Discriminatory performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.... (More)

BACKGROUND: Alterations in ribosomal DNA copy number (rDNA-CN) and global DNA methylation have been associated with genomic instability and various diseases. However, their relevance in myocardial infarction (MI) has not been fully investigated.

METHODS: We measured rDNA-CN and global DNA methylation in blood samples from MI patients ( n  = 100) and healthy controls ( n  = 109) using Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) and ELISA, respectively. Logistic regression was used to assess associations with MI, before and after adjustment for age and sex. Correlations of rDNA CN and global DNA methylation with age were also evaluated. Discriminatory performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS: rDNA-CN was associated with MI in the unadjusted analysis (OR=0.991, p  < 0.001), but the effect was no longer significant after adjusting for age and sex (OR=0.992, p  = 0.06). In contrast, global DNA methylation remained significantly associated with MI after adjustment (OR=1.61, p  < 0.001). Global DNA methylation also demonstrated strong discriminative ability for MI (AUC = 0.97).

CONCLUSIONS: Global DNA methylation was independently associated with MI after the adjustments, whereas rDNA-CN was not. These findings suggest that global DNA methylation may represent a potential biomarker; however, further validation in larger, well-characterized populations is warranted.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
volume
13
article number
1740048
pages
1 - 8
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • pmid:42158083
ISSN
2297-055X
DOI
10.3389/fcvm.2026.1740048
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2026 Wang, Memon, Hedelius, Grundberg and Sundquist.
id
484c41bb-8bd5-4469-9630-30c198fd6db7
date added to LUP
2026-05-25 15:42:56
date last changed
2026-05-26 07:36:30
@article{484c41bb-8bd5-4469-9630-30c198fd6db7,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Alterations in ribosomal DNA copy number (rDNA-CN) and global DNA methylation have been associated with genomic instability and various diseases. However, their relevance in myocardial infarction (MI) has not been fully investigated.</p><p>METHODS: We measured rDNA-CN and global DNA methylation in blood samples from MI patients ( n  = 100) and healthy controls (  n  = 109) using Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) and ELISA, respectively. Logistic regression was used to assess associations with MI, before and after adjustment for age and sex. Correlations of rDNA CN and global DNA methylation with age were also evaluated. Discriminatory performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. </p><p>RESULTS: rDNA-CN was associated with MI in the unadjusted analysis (OR=0.991,  p  &lt; 0.001), but the effect was no longer significant after adjusting for age and sex (OR=0.992,  p  = 0.06). In contrast, global DNA methylation remained significantly associated with MI after adjustment (OR=1.61,  p  &lt; 0.001). Global DNA methylation also demonstrated strong discriminative ability for MI (AUC = 0.97). </p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Global DNA methylation was independently associated with MI after the adjustments, whereas rDNA-CN was not. These findings suggest that global DNA methylation may represent a potential biomarker; however, further validation in larger, well-characterized populations is warranted.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wang, Xiao and Memon, Ashfaque A and Hedelius, Anna and Grundberg, Anton and Sundquist, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{2297-055X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1--8}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine}},
  title        = {{Associations of rDNA copy numbers and global DNA methylation with myocardial infarction}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2026.1740048}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fcvm.2026.1740048}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}