Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41484649›Full record

ArticleClinical epigenetics2026

Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns for indicators of liver steatosis: a longitudinal multiomic study.

Jo Ciantar, Sonja Rajić, Daria Kostiniuk, Ella Raulamo, Noora Kartiosuo, Liye Lai, Pashupati P Mishra, Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen, Marcus E Kleber, Suvi Rovio and 11 more

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Article in Clinical epigenetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Jo Ciantar *Molecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Sonja Rajić *Molecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Daria KostiniukMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Ella RaulamoMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Noora KartiosuoDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Liye LaiResearch Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Pashupati P MishraDepartment of Clinical Chemistry Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Leo-Pekka LyytikäinenDepartment of Clinical Chemistry Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Marcus E KleberMedical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Hemostaseology and Medical Intensive Care, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Suvi RovioCentre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Juha MykkänenCentre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Katja PahkalaCentre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Annette PetersEpidemiology, Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry, and Epidemiology-IBE, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Juliane WinkelmannComputational Health Center, Helmholtz Munich, Institute of Neurogenomics, Neuherberg, Germany.
Winfried MärzMedical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cardiology, Angiology, Hemostaseology and Medical Intensive Care, University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Mika KähönenDepartment of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Olli RaitakariCentre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Terho LehtimäkiDepartment of Clinical Chemistry Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Melanie WaldenbergerHelmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany.
Saara MarttilaMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Emma RaitoharjuMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland. emma.raitoharju@tuni.fi.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo identify blood DNA methylation profiles related to liver steatosis, we performed an EWAS on the presence of ultrasonically-identified liver steatosis in the Young Finns Study (YFS) participants (n = 1529, 33-50y.), and on liver enzyme levels and fatty liver index (FLI) across three discovery cohorts: YFS, LURIC (n = 2371, 17-92y.) and KORA FF4 (n = 1872, 39-88y.). We further investigated the discovered associations across the longitudinal subset of YFS (n = 255), encompassing three follow-ups over 32 years, and the three-generational YFS-3G follow-up in 2018-2020. Finally, we examined the associations of the discovered CpGs with nearby genetic variation and whole blood expression of nearby genes.

resultsIn YFS, the methylation levels of cg06690548 (SLC7A11) were lower in individuals with liver steatosis (Δbeta = - 0.011, FDR = 0.004). Methylation of 9 CpGs associated with GGT and 23 CpGs with FLI in at least two of the discovery cohorts. Methylation at cg06690548 (SLC7A11) and the majority of the CpGs associating with GGT or FLI had the strongest association in the two oldest generations of YFS-3G follow-up (ages 43-59y. and 59-93y.), with minor or non-significant association in the youngest generation (ages 6-36y.). Discovered meQTLs for the CpGs did not modulate the association between the methylation levels and GGT or FLI. The expression of the nearby genes mediated only the association between cg06500161 (ABCG1) and cg20544516 (SREBF1) and FLI.

conclusionsOur findings highlight the association between the methylation levels of cg06690548 (SLC7A11) and liver steatosis, describe the dynamic relationship between whole blood DNA methylation and MASLD, and contribute to a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of liver diseases.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationFatty LiverGenome-Wide Association StudyAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCpG IslandsFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultDNA methylationFatty liver indexGGTLongitudinalMetabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver diseaseNon-alcoholic fatty liver diseasePopulation cohort

Identifiers

PMID41484649
PMCPMC12866020

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