# Epitranscriptomics of the aging lung

> **NIH NIH R21** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $268,500

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Normal aging of the pulmonary system associates with a multitude of physiologic, anatomic and molecular
changes in the lung. Epigenetic marks, non-sequence based variations in the human genome, have been
identified as important molecular hallmark of normal aging, with investigations mainly focused on DNA, not RNA,
methylation. Epitranscriptomics refers to studies of modifications of RNA. N6-methyl-adenosine (m6A) is the most
studied of these RNA modifications, but aging-related global RNA methylation in lung tissue has not been
explored. We hypothesize that differential RNA methylation in lung tissue may represent a new research direction
for advancing understanding of normal lung biology and genomics changes with aging. Given the growing
evidence that normal aging has a cumulative molecular impact, considering age-related changes to the
epitranscriptome may advance insights into age-related resilience in the lung. We will investigate global RNA
methylation through the following Specific Aims : 1) Quantification of global N6-methyl-adenosine in lung tissue
from 400 individuals with normal spirometry from the Lung Tissue Research Consortium, exploring variability of
RNA methylation with age, with additional consideration of sex and race associated variability; 2) Identification
of genetic variation that associates with RNA methylation; 3)Evaluation of RNA methylation as a predictor of
gene expression and a contributor to gene regulatory network signatures in lung tissue. There are no published
studies of RNA methylation and aging in the normal lung. This project will address whether RNA methylation
captures normal aging in the lung and will support more in-depth evaluations of the epitranscriptome as a marker
of lung health. This proposal is responsive to PA-19-049 (New Research Directions to Advance the NHBLI
Strategic Vision Normal Biology) by modeling aging associated non-sequence variation of RNA in lung tissue
from individuals with normal lung function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10322154
- **Project number:** 5R21HL156122-02
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** DAWN L DEMEO
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $268,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-01-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10322154

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10322154, Epitranscriptomics of the aging lung (5R21HL156122-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10322154. Licensed CC0.

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