Harvard/MGH Center on Genomics, Vulnerable Populations, and Health Disparities

Our group recently published the first systematic review that critically assesses the full range of clinical associations that have been reported in relation to DNA methylation of HPA axis genes in adults. In doing so, our aim was to highlight current challenges in the field that will need to be addressed in order to develop clinically meaningful prognostic biomarkers, and to outline future research directions needed to create an evidence base that can inform public policy practice. Investigating DNA methylation of HPA axis genes involved in glucocorticoid regulation is an important and growing field for better understanding the etiology of—and ultimately, how to detect and treat—a number of key diseases affecting population health, including hypertension, breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer's, PTSD, depression, and borderline personality disorder.

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Read the full open-access review, published in EBioMedicine, here.