Cited by 31Epigenetics and DNA MethylationCannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchGenetic Associations and Epidemiology

Epigenome‐wide analysis uncovers a blood‐based DNA methylation biomarker of lifetime cannabis use

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Markunas, Christina A., Hancock, Dana B., Xu, Zongli, Quach, Bryan C., Fang, Fang, Sandler, Dale P., Johnson, Eric O., Taylor, Jack A.·2021·American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Cannabis use is highly prevalent and is associated with adverse and beneficial effects. To better understand the full spectrum of health consequences, biomarkers that accurately classify cannabis use are needed. DNA methylation (DNAm) is an excellent candidate, yet no blood‐based epigenome‐wide association studies (EWAS) in humans exist. We conducted an EWAS of lifetime cannabis use (ever vs. never) using blood‐based DNAm data from a case–cohort study within Sister Study, a prospective cohort of women at risk of developing breast cancer (Discovery N = 1,730 [855 ever users]; Replication N = 853 [392 ever users]). We identified and replicated an association with lifetime cannabis use at cg15973234 (CEMIP): combined p = 3.3 × 10 −8 . We found no overlap between published blood‐based cis‐meQTLs of cg15973234 and reported lifetime cannabis use‐associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs; p < .05), suggesting that the observed DNAm difference was driven by cannabis exposure. We also developed a multi‐CpG classifier of lifetime cannabis use using penalized regression of top EWAS CpGs. The resulting 50‐CpG classifier produced an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.74 (95% CI [0.72, 0.76], p = 2.00 × 10 −5 ) in the discovery sample and AUC = 0.54 ([0.51, 0.57], p = 2.87 × 10 −2 ) in the replication sample. Our EWAS findings provide evidence that blood‐based DNAm is associated with lifetime cannabis use.

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Authors
Markunas, C. A., Hancock, D. B., Xu, Z., Quach, B. C., Fang, F., Sandler, D. P., Johnson, E. O., & Taylor, J. A.
Affiliations
  • RTI International (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Taylor, Jack A.
Venue
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2020-08-17
Volume
186
Issue
3
Pages
173-182
ISSN
  • 1552-4841 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-485X
OpenAlex
W3056482323
Cited by
31
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1
FWCI
1.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ZO1 ES‐044005, ZO1 ES‐049032, ZO1 ES‐049033)
  • RTI International (Fellow Program)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
Keywords
cannabis use, DNA methylation, blood-based biomarkers, epigenome-wide association study, CEMIP, methylation quantitative trait loci, Sister Study, breast cancer risk, women
MeSH terms
Epigenome, Adult, Aged, Cannabis, Female, Genetic Markers, Humans, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Case-Control Studies, DNA Methylation, Substance-Related Disorders, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Epigenesis, Genetic, Genome-Wide Association Study

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