A new blood based epigenetic age predictor for adolescents and young adults.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional biomarker development and validation study
PubMed 36759656 · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29381-7
What was done
Researchers developed an epigenetic clock named PAYA (Predictor for Adolescents and Young Adults) based on DNA methylation levels at 267 CpG sites from blood samples. They compared different preprocessing approaches and evaluated prediction performance using an independent validation dataset consisting of 18-year-old individuals.
What was found
In an independent validation dataset of 18-year-old individuals, the PAYA model achieved a median absolute deviation of just below 0.7 years. No other quantitative performance metrics, training results, or sample sizes were provided in the abstract.
Why it matters
Accurate biological age estimation is needed to establish legal protections for individuals lacking birth documentation. PAYA provides a dedicated epigenetic clock tailored specifically for adolescents and young adults.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose sample sizes for training or validation. Model evaluation was limited to 18-year-olds rather than spanning the full adolescent and young adult age range. Robustness across geographic regions, clinical conditions, and environmental exposures remains unverified.
Cited by
- supports The human genome contains approximately 28 million cytosine locations, roughly a quarter of which change methylation status with age.