Identification of tissue-specific cell death using methylation patterns of circulating DNA

Minimally invasive detection of cell death could prove an invaluable resource in many physiologic and pathologic situations. Cell-free circulating DNA (cfDNA) released from dying cells is emerging as a diagnostic tool for monitoring cancer dynamics and graft failure. However, existing methods rely on differences in DNA sequences in source tissues, so that cell death cannot be identified in tissues with a normal genome. We developed a method of detecting tissue-specific cell death in humans based on tissue-specific methylation patterns in cfDNA. We interrogated tissue-specific methylome databases to identify cell type-specific DNA methylation signatures and developed a method to detect these signatures in mixed…

• JD
  Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

  Award: 3-SRA-2014-38-Q-R
• TP
  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• IS
  Israel Science Foundation

  Award: 41.11
• NI
  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

  Award: 1 UC4 DK104216-01