Authors:
Cruickshank, M. N.; Pitt, J.; Craig, J. M.
Authors notes:
Genome Medicine. 2012;4(10):83.1-4
Keywords:
biomarkers, DNA, epigenetics, Guthrie cards, newborn screening
Abstract
Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) can be used to investigate links between early life environment, epigenetics and disease. However, such studies raise the question of which came first: the mark or the malady? A recent study has demonstrated that EWAS can be performed on neonatal 'Guthrie' heel-prick blood spots. As Guthrie cards are collected from all newborn infants and stored indefinitely in many countries, they represent an important timepoint to compare with later disease-associated epigenetic marks.