9:55 AM - 10:10 AM
[US3-04] Toward age estimation using DNA methylation of samples obtained from the oral cavity
Keywords:法歯学、年齢推定、メチル化
Epigenetic variation is known to reflect the effects both of genetic and environmental factors, and it has been shown to vary among races. Especially, DNA methylation has been the focus of much attention in the past for diseases such as cancer and obesity. In recent years, the use of epigenetics in age estimation has been reported, where the amount of methylated cytosines in CpG sites has become known as a tissue-specific marker of age. In fact, age estimation based on DNA methylation for blood and saliva is being reported. Relationship between DNA methylation and chronological age has also been reported for tooth, which have traditionally been considered important in morphological age estimation methods. If age estimation from pulp DNA and cementum DNA in the surface layer is established without damaging tooth shapes, it will have great significance in terms of consideration for the feelings of bereaved families and preservation of materials in the field of anthropology. On these backgrounds, there is an increasing expectation for using real-time PCR based techniques to analyse DNA methylation from a small amount of samples. However, limited information is available on whether these methods are accurate across different populations. We have examined the association between DNA methylation and age using saliva and dental tissues from Asian people and cultured cell lines derived from periodontal tissue. In this symposium, we will share our previous studies on age estimation using DNA methylation of samples from the oral cavity as an indicator of age.