DNA Methylation Signatures as Biomarkers of Socioeconomic Position


 This review article provides a framework for the use of DNA methylation biomarkers to study the biological embedding of socioeconomic position (SEP) and summarizes the latest developments in the area. It presents the emerging literature showing associations between individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic position (SEP) exposures and DNA methylation across the life course. In contrast to questionnaire-based methods of assessing SEP, we suggest that DNA methylation biomarkers may offer an accessible metric to study questions about SEP and health outcomes, acting as a personal dosimeter of exposure. However, further work remains in standardizing SEP measures across studies and evaluating consistency across domains, tissue types, and time periods. Meta-analyses of epigenetic associations with SEP are offered as one approach to confirm the replication of DNA methylation loci across studies. The development of DNA methylation biomarkers of SEP would provide a method of examining its impact on health outcomes in a more robust way, increasing the rigor of epidemiological studies.