2020
DNA methylation mediates the effect of cocaine use on HIV severity
Shu C, Justice AC, Zhang X, Wang Z, Hancock DB, Johnson EO, Xu K. DNA methylation mediates the effect of cocaine use on HIV severity. Clinical Epigenetics 2020, 12: 140. PMID: 32928285, PMCID: PMC7491141, DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00934-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHIV-positive participantsHIV severityVACS IndexCocaine useCocaine effectsVeterans Aging Cohort Study Biomarker CohortVeterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) IndexEpigenome-wide associationHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) progressionHigher VACS indexFrequent cocaine useCandidate CpG sitesPersistent cocaine useMendelian randomization analysisHIV outcomesBiomarker cohortHIV progressionVirus progressionVAC indexVeteran populationAntiviral responseCandidate mediatorsStudy indicesMR analysisSeverity
2018
Machine learning selected smoking-associated DNA methylation signatures that predict HIV prognosis and mortality
Zhang X, Hu Y, Aouizerat BE, Peng G, Marconi VC, Corley MJ, Hulgan T, Bryant KJ, Zhao H, Krystal JH, Justice AC, Xu K. Machine learning selected smoking-associated DNA methylation signatures that predict HIV prognosis and mortality. Clinical Epigenetics 2018, 10: 155. PMID: 30545403, PMCID: PMC6293604, DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0591-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWhite blood cellsSmoking-associated DNA methylationHIV prognosisInfection-related clinical outcomesBlood cellsSmoking-associated CpGsHIV-positive individualsImmune-related outcomesEpigenome-wide significant CpGsClinical outcomesTobacco smokingVeteran populationSurvival rateDNA methylation indexMortalityFrailtyHIVMethylation indexPrognosisMethylation signaturesDNA methylationOutcomesCell cycleCpGSignificant CpGs
2017
DNA methylation signatures of illicit drug injection and hepatitis C are associated with HIV frailty
Zhang X, Hu Y, Justice AC, Li B, Wang Z, Zhao H, Krystal JH, Xu K. DNA methylation signatures of illicit drug injection and hepatitis C are associated with HIV frailty. Nature Communications 2017, 8: 2243. PMID: 29269866, PMCID: PMC5740109, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02326-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIllicit drug injectionHepatitis C infectionWhite blood cellsIllicit drug useCo-occurring conditionsMethylation signaturesDiscovery sampleC infectionHepatitis CEpigenome-wide association analysisLower frailtyDrug injectionHigh frailtyImmune functionHealth outcomesDrug useFrailtyDNA methylation signaturesBlood cellsHIVReplication sampleEpigenetic programmingSignificant CpGsEpigenetic effectsIndividuals