# Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers of Post Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV 2 Infection (PASC)

> **NIH NIH R01** · ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE · 2024 · $778,634

## Abstract

Project Summary: DNA 5'-C-phosphate-G-3' (CpG) methylation is a covalent epigenetic modification that
regulates gene expression and is highly sensitive to age and environmental factors. Critically ill patients exhibit
altered circulating blood DNA methylation profiles. We have recently reported a large scale methylome analysis
of COVID-19 in association with clinical outcomes, which suggests an epigenetic regulation of genes controlling
disease severity. Recent evidence indicates that many surviving COVID-19 patients develop long term
dysfunctions and the NIH-NHLBI has recently launched an initiative to elucidate the nature of Post-Acute
Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC). It is currently unknown if the rapid methylome regulation evoked by
acute illness persist after SARS-CoV-2 resolution. Such persistence could underpin long term sequela
associated with this condition. Because DNA methylation is a relatively stable DNA chemical modification that
could influence long-term gene expression profiles and given that we recently found that multiple regions
developed during acute illness persist differentially methylated one year after hospital discharge, we
hypothesize that COVID-19 infection leads to enduring DNA methylation abnormalities that remain after
resolution of acute illness in association with the post-COVID-19 clinical profile. In this application, we
plan to conduct whole genome DNA methylation and RNA sequencing of circulating leucocytes to establish sub
phenotypes of PASC, predict future PASC development in the acute COVID-19, and determine which circulating
leucocyte lineage contributes to that enduring methylome.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10881924
- **Project number:** 5R01AI173035-02
- **Recipient organization:** ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Reid Spencer Alisch
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $778,634
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-07-05 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10881924

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10881924, Blood DNA Methylation Biomarkers of Post Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV 2 Infection (PASC) (5R01AI173035-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10881924. Licensed CC0.

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