Genome-wide association studies identify 137 loci for DNA methylation biomarkers of aging

Biological ageing estimators derived from DNA methylation data are heritable and correlate with morbidity and mortality. We report 137 genome wide significant loci (113 novel) via meta-analyses of six DNA methylation-based (DNAm) biomarkers in 34,962 European-ancestries and 6,482 African American individuals. Several DNAm biomarkers exhibit strong genetic correlations with multiple health and lifestyle measures. Polygenic scores explained up to 4.2% of the variance and the score for a DNAm estimator of mortality risk, DNAmGrimAge, was associated with parental longevity, education, and adiposity-related traits. Overall, this study greatly advances our understanding of the genetic determinants of epigenetic ageing processes in human blood.