iPSCs and iPSC-derived cells as a model of human genetic and epigenetic variation

Abstract Understanding the interaction between genetic and epigenetic variation remains a challenge due to confounding environmental factors. We propose that human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) are an excellent model to study the relationship between genetic and epigenetic variation while c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kara Quaid, Xiaoyun Xing, Yi-Hsien Chen, Yong Miao, Amber Neilson, Vijayalingam Selvamani, Aaron Tran, Xiaoxia Cui, Ming Hu, Ting Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56569-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Understanding the interaction between genetic and epigenetic variation remains a challenge due to confounding environmental factors. We propose that human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) are an excellent model to study the relationship between genetic and epigenetic variation while controlling for environmental factors. In this study, we have created a comprehensive resource of high-quality genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic data from iPSC lines and three iPSC-derived cell types (neural stem cell (NSC), motor neuron, monocyte) from three healthy donors. We find that epigenetic variation is most strongly associated with genetic variation at the iPSC stage, and that relationship weakens as epigenetic variation increases in differentiated cells. Additionally, cell type is a stronger source of epigenetic variation than genetic variation. Further, we elucidate a utility of studying epigenetic variation in iPSCs and their derivatives for identifying important loci for GWAS studies and the cell types in which they may be acting.
ISSN:2041-1723